Bollywood’s big-screen formula is getting louder, tougher, and far more repetitive, according to Karan Johar. The filmmaker questions whether audiences truly want hyper-masculine heroes or if the industry is just guessing wrong.
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The gossip in Bollywood’s corridors isn’t about who’s dating whom this week. It’s about who’s walking… in slow motion. And no, not for romance. Think intense stares, heavy beards, cigarettes, and background music that screams power. Right in the middle of this “alpha overload,” filmmaker Karan Johar has stepped in with a blunt take and he’s not sugarcoating anything.
In a recent chat, Karan called out what he sees as a growing obsession in Hindi cinema: men being louder, tougher, and frankly, a little too dramatic for no real reason.
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According to Karan Johar, Hindi cinema is currently riding a wave of “big alpha” storytelling. This means films are focusing heavily on hyper-masculine heroes, men who show power through aggression, silence, and stylised attitude rather than emotional depth.
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He pointed out that theatrical releases today are largely driven by these high-energy, male-dominated narratives. The bigger the action, the tougher the hero, the better the box office chances at least, that’s the current formula.
Look at recent hits like ‘Animal’, ‘Pushpa 2’, ‘Jawan’, and ‘Pathaan’. These films, all hugely successful, have strong, dominant male leads at the centre. Even upcoming titles like ‘Dhurandhar’ seem to follow the same path.
Karan isn’t denying their success but he is questioning the lack of variety.
One of Karan’s sharpest observations? Bollywood is copying itself… a lot.
He described the industry as operating on a “herd mentality.” Basically, if one film works, ten more like it are rushed into production. The result? A flood of similar-looking movies with similar-looking heroes.
His description is almost cinematic itself. Men with beards, smoking, walking in slow motion, looking intense, but not necessarily doing anything meaningful for the story.
He didn’t hold back while explaining it: if a certain style clicks with audiences, filmmakers jump on the bandwagon without questioning whether the story actually needs it.
And that’s where nuance gets lost.
There’s another assumption Karan took aim at and it’s a big one.
Many in the industry believe that women love watching these hyper-masculine heroes. But Karan isn’t buying that idea. According to him, this belief says more about male filmmakers than female audiences.
He hinted that this version of masculinity is often shaped by what men ‘think’ women want, rather than what women actually enjoy watching.
The bearded, brooding, cigarette-smoking hero has become a default template. But is it truly audience demand or just industry guesswork? Karan seems to lean strongly toward the latter.
Karan also looked back at the criticism he faced for his 2023 directorial ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt.
The film showed a different kind of male lead, someone expressive, emotional, and even performing classical dance. And that didn’t sit well with some viewers.
Karan revealed that many people questioned why a man was portrayed in such a “non-traditional” way. But he didn’t back down.
Instead, he stood by his creative decision, saying he would rather stay true to his storytelling than change it to fit outdated expectations of masculinity. He also reiterated his commitment to feminist narratives and inclusive storytelling.
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