The Economics of Certainty
The primary driver behind the franchise boom is financial. In an unpredictable post-pandemic market, sequels and established intellectual properties (IPs) offer a rare commodity: predictability. A film like Stree 2 or Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 arrives with a built-in
audience, reducing marketing costs and guaranteeing a strong opening weekend. The staggering box office numbers for films like Gadar 2 and the consistent success of Rohit Shetty’s Cop Universe send a clear message to producers: familiarity sells. This strategy minimises risk for studios, who are now more than ever looking for safe bets that promise a return on their investment. In a landscape where original scripts fight for attention, a franchise film gets premium release dates and an easier pitch to distributors.
The Rise of Cinematic Universes
Bollywood is moving beyond simple sequels and embracing the Hollywood model of interconnected cinematic universes. The most prominent examples are Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe and Maddock Films' Supernatural Universe. The YRF Spy Universe, which connects the worlds of Tiger, War, and Pathaan, has created a massive narrative canvas where characters can cross over, building immense fan excitement. Similarly, Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Supernatural Universe strategically links films like Stree, Bhediya, and Munjya, creating a cohesive world of horror-comedy rooted in Indian folklore. This approach not only allows for endless storytelling possibilities but also builds powerful brand loyalty that can sustain multiple films and characters.
A Perfect Formula for Genre Films
Horror and thrillers are particularly well-suited for the franchise treatment. The horror-comedy sub-genre, in particular, has proven to be a goldmine. Films like Stree 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 have shattered box office records by blending genuine scares with laugh-out-loud moments, making the genre accessible to a wider audience. These stories, often based on local folklore, allow filmmakers to build expansive mythologies with recurring spirits or entities that can be explored across multiple installments. Thrillers, especially spy thrillers, thrive on returning protagonists navigating ever-more-complex global conspiracies, a formula that the YRF Spy Universe has perfected.
The Risk of Franchise Fatigue
While the franchise model is currently lucrative, it comes with inherent risks. The biggest danger is audience fatigue and diminishing returns, a phenomenon already being observed with some projects. For every successful Stree 2, there are sequels that fail to capture the magic of the original, often because they are perceived as lazy cash-grabs rather than organic extensions of the story. The pressure to churn out sequels can also stifle originality, with studios prioritising established properties over fresh, new ideas. The challenge for Indian filmmakers is to use these established worlds as a launchpad for innovative storytelling, rather than simply repeating a successful formula to the point of exhaustion.
