Hollywood technicians become the new formula for Indian big budget films
Indian cinema is undergoing a significant change as filmmakers focus on delivering world-class technical aspects while maintaining strong narratives. While overseas song shoots were once the standard, the industry is now turning to globally recognized action choreographers, stunt coordinators, visual effects, and production designers to create a unique brand of cinema. The shift has been noticeable in the last decade or so, with big productions vying for the attention of the world’s best technical experts, even as they scale down their reliance on superstar actors.
In recent years, movies with a budget of over ₹300 crore have begun to rely on Hollywood action directors to help create spectacular fights. This trend was driven by changing consumer preferences, as Indians gained access to Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms and were exposed to the visual and narrative flair of Hollywood, Korean, and European cinema. There was a growing demand for realistic, larger-than-life, and enhanced dramatic content in local productions.
As a result, producers felt that it was necessary to employ technical experts who could meet such requirements in order to raise the level of their productions and better compete with international cinema. However, the latest venture into Hollywood technical expertise may prove to be the most significant one.
According to anecdotal evidence, the makers of The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Ramayana have reportedly hired Hollywood action directors to assist in creating some of the film’s most critical visual effects. The board of directors believes the film will utilize the expertise to improve the quality of the fight scenes, which will elevate the production’s technical quality and help it achieve its goal of bringing Indian history to mainstream audiences.
The move suggests that filmmakers want to make Indian history interesting to local and international viewers while making it entertaining and technically spectacular. Experts believe that the technical aspects of Indian films have been the primary factor in their inability to compete with Hollywood, Korean, and European cinema on a global scale. Given the current demand for technical mastery in Indian films, the collaboration with Hollywood experts will become a necessity, not an option.