Framebound

By Akash Dubey Image Credit: The Week / YouTube (Dhruv Rathee) / Jio Studios & B62 Studios There is a specific kind of mistake that only very smart people can make. It is the mistake of looking at a film and trying to fact-check it like a biology textbook. Recently, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee took to his platform to tear down Bollywood’s latest box office success, the  Dhurandhar franchise, which has crossed over ₹2000 crore worldwide. Across his videos on both parts of the Dhurandhar franchise, his critique follows a similar pattern.  He used words like 'propaganda' and 'dangerous'. But in his rush to play the digital activist, Rathee exposed a massive flaw: he shows a misunderstanding of the language of cinema. The ‘Fact-Check’ Fallacy Dhruv’s biggest mistake is treating a spy thriller as a documentary. The film clearly states it is a 'fictional work inspired by real-life events'.  When we watch a spy thriller, we are looking for a story that makes us feel s...

By Akash Dubey While the media obsesses over ₹100 Crore salary cheques, a much quieter financial leak is draining the life out of Hindi cinema.  Lead actors are increasingly arriving on set with a dozen-strong entourage. From personal chefs and gym trainers to multiple vanity vans and first-class travel for assistants, these additional requests can cost producers an extra ₹20 Lakh per day. This isn't just a business problem; it’s a creative one. When 60-70% of a film’s budget goes into an actor’s pocket and their personal staff’s comfort, there is very little left for the actual movie. The writing, the VFX and the technical quality are the first things to be sacrificed to pay for a superstar's luxury van.  The most shocking part of this culture is the pay disparity. In some recent big-budget productions, the remuneration for a lead actor’s bodyguards has reportedly exceeded the fees of the talented co-actors in the same film. While some stars might opt for profit-sharing ...

By Akash Dubey For a long time, people thought you could only do one thing in life. You were either a corporate professional or a creative artist. But Sahiba Bali has officially ended that debate. She is an actor, a marketing expert and a sports host all at the same time. This is not just a trend. It is a new way to become a superstar in 2026. The Zomato girl who became a Shark She worked at global agencies like McCann and on projects for the UK Parliament. It was at Zomato where she truly changed the game, leading brand marketing and helping the company go viral. She did not stop there. She went on to become an Associate Director of Marketing at Unacademy. While she was building her corporate career, she was also auditioning for movies. She was one of the hosts of Shark Tank India Season 4 , a show about business and startups. This makes her very interesting to producers. She understands how to act in front of a camera, but she also understands the business strategy behind a product....

By Akash Dubey In the crowded world of consumer snacks, most new brands try to win attention with variety. Supermarkets are filled with companies launching dozens of flavours, formats and product lines in the hope that something will work. SuperYou has taken a slightly different path. Launched in November 2024 by entrepreneur Nikunj Biyani and actor Ranveer Singh, the brand entered India’s growing 'better-for-you' food category with a very focused product strategy. Instead of building a wide portfolio immediately, SuperYou began with only a handful of core products built around one idea: everyday protein snacking. That focus appears to have worked. Within about a year of launch, the brand reached an annual revenue run rate of around ₹150 crore and sold over 15 million of units across India. In a snack market known for intense competition, that kind of early scale is unusual. A simple product story Part of the appeal lies in how clearly the brand defines itself. Rather than posi...

 By Akash Dubey Image by Filmfare The most profitable universe in Bollywood right now is not a spy franchise or a action series. It is a ghost story from a small town. Over the last five to seven years, horror-comedy has quietly become one of the safest and most profitable genres in Hindi cinema. It does not rely on the biggest stars. It does not demand massive visual effects budgets. Yet it consistently delivers strong box office returns and long-term value across television and streaming. In an industry where budgets are rising and risk feels higher than ever, horror-comedy has emerged as a rational business model. Low Risk, High Margins Horror-comedy sits in a rare sweet spot. Most of these films are made at mid-level budgets. They do not require the scale of action franchises or fantasy dramas. The result is a lower financial risk with the potential for very high returns. Trade analysts regularly describe horror and horror-comedy as one of the most profitable genres in term...

By Akash Dubey Some love stories are not about grand romance. They are about survival in everyday life. On the surface, Do Deewane Seher Mein looks like a story about two flawed individuals falling in love. Underneath, it quietly explores how modern city life shapes insecurity, beauty standards and relationships. Insecurity, Body Image and Mental Health Both protagonists carry deep insecurities. He stammers and fears being judged for it. She feels she is not good-looking enough. These are not extreme problems. They are everyday anxieties. That is what makes them powerful. The film suggests that before accepting love, individuals must first confront their own self-doubt. Their hesitation is not just romantic confusion. It is the fear of not being enough in a world that constantly ranks people. Everyday Stereotypes The film includes small but telling moments. One moment is such, when a character suggests that girls look better in contact lenses than spectacles, it reflects a ...

By Akash Dubey For years, a Hindi film followed a familiar path. It opened in theatres, tried to survive the first weekend, and then slowly moved to television. Revenue stretched out over time. The journey was long and predictable. Streaming quietly changed that rhythm. Today, much of a film’s value is secured far earlier than before. Digital and satellite deals are often finalised within months of release. In many studios, streaming now accounts for nearly 80 percent of a film’s non-theatrical value. OTT has effectively replaced television as the main second window. This means money arrives sooner. Producers can recover a significant share of a film’s cost early, even if the theatrical run is modest. The financial risk is managed differently. Earnings are more front-loaded than they used to be. The gap between theatres and streaming has also shrunk. Before the pandemic, an eight-week window between theatrical release and OTT was common. In the immediate post-pandemic period, some ...