Both Bollywood and Ranbir Kapoor need 'Shamshera' and 'Brahmastra' to work at the box office

Ranbir Kapoor, undoubtedly, is one of the finest and most gifted actors the present generation has witnessed in India. Despite the ongoing nepotism debate, which has also targeted Kapoor, he has proven his worth in films such as 'Rockstar,' 'Barfi,' 'Tamasha,' 'Wake Up Sid,' and 'Sanju,' his most recent release in 2018. The film was declared a superhit, and Ranbir garnered huge applause for his flawless acting.

The 39-year-old is making a comeback after four years of hiatus with two back-to-back releases - Ayan Mukerji's 'Brahmastra' and Karan Malhotra's 'Shamshera'. The trailers of these films were dropped creating a greater furore amongst moviegoers. The larger-than-life canvas, VFX, original storyline, impressive star cast, and all-in-one approach of both films promise to deliver a spectacular viewing experience.

However, being optimistic about these films' ability to render epic and magnificent theatrical feats, there are a few jarring elements that may either make or break Ranbir's future in showbiz.

Delayed release of ‘Shamshera’ and ‘Brahmastra’ 

SS Rajamouli's 'Baahubali' franchise has already introduced the Indian audience to a new style of a magnum opus, followed by KGF Chapters, and 'RRR'. They are now accustomed to the entertainment factor of a multi-starrer, high-budget film. Hence, movies of such scale need to match the standards set by the previously mentioned films, as they have raised the bar of storytelling and production value.

Ranbir, seems late to the club as 'Brahmastra' and 'Shamshera', which were announced years ago, went through multiple delays due to technical issues and COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, these films might succumb at the box office due to their lack of freshness.
 
Meanwhile, Ayan Mukerji, who has only two successful films to his name, that too almost a decade ago, has attracted speculation over his ability to handle a massive budget film. The same holds true for 'Shamsheras' director Karan Malhotra. Ayan and Karan have never directed any film that is even half the budget of their current productions, raising doubts about their credibility.

Ranbir Kapoor coming out of his shell

Ranbir Kapoor's filmography has majorly consisted of characters that fit with ease into his comfort zone of being a 'boy next door' who is flirtatious in nature and sets off on a journey of self-introspection. Ranbir's character in 'Brahmastra' falls in a similar light.

On the other hand, in 'Shamshera', Kapoor will be seen in a double role, playing the character of a dacoit. This somewhat anti-hero character who does masculine action sequences falls way out of his comfort zone. This wide gamut of characters that might make the audience feel either too familiar with or distant with the star’s image, might not work in his favour.
 
Content defines box-office success
 
The actor's comeback seems more of a challenge given the recent trend of big-budget movies' doing unsuccessful business at the box office and Bollywood trying its hands on a multi-starrer concept after ages. In the present scenario, audiences have matured into viewers who are more sensitive toward what they are watching and spending their money and time on. Subsequently, audiences want to see films that are not only entertaining but have some content in them.
 
Big or small, most Bollywood films are failing at the box office. This is due to several reasons, such as bad casting, poor performances, a weak screenplay that is underdeveloped, unnecessary subplots, and a reluctance to invest in new and better writers. The other major reason is the filmmaker's desire to compromise on the story’s relevance to appeal to the audience with lavish sets, costumes, and exotic locations.

 
 
Revival of multi-starrer genre in Bollywood 

With time, audiences' tastes and preferences have transformed. Hence, makers have to create and market content that is original and one that excites audiences to throng the theatres. From the looks of it, 'Brahmastra' and 'Shamshera' seem to have this perfect combination that offers a good storyline and a multi-starrer cast, which Bollywood has been avoiding for some time now.

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Sushant Singh Rajput’s death led to a debate on nepotism 

The death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput riled up the audience against the Hindi film industry with accusations of having "gangs" and not providing opportunities to the "outsiders". His death has caused hatred in the audience against the industry, especially those who are considered Bollywood "insiders."

Films vs religious sentiments 

On the contrary, 'Brahmastra' is already caught up in controversy for hurting religious sentiments in the ongoing boycott row. The film, which is inspired by Hindu mythology and God Shiva, was said to have hurt religious sentiments in one of the scenes that show Ranbir entering a temple wearing footwear. While 'Shamshera' has also been accused of offending religious sentiments, with people expressing outrage that Hindus are always portrayed as villains. While these online debates might be irrelevant; they could also have a negative impact on the film's performance.

Regardless of all the speculation, online debates, and controversy surrounding these two films, time will tell if they will be able to shatter box-office records like an 'RRR' or 'KGF 2'.