TG Audience Breakdown of These Two Bollywood Movies #29
Tried something new this time!
Hello everyone! You’re reading the twenty-ninth issue of The Handwritten.
In this issue, we’re taking the two latest Bollywood movies for their TG breakdown. Let’s take each of them separately.
Bawaal
The movie casts Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor in the lead roles. Varun is portrayed as a person who worries more about his image than his values. He marries Janhvi as she comes from a well-off and well-educated background. But once he finds out about her Epilepsy (a condition which causes seizures), he looks down upon her as a “defective piece,” whom he’s ashamed of taking out on dates and introducing her to his friends. But with patience and time, Janhvi helps him see that happiness matters more than a set-up image. This ultimately develops an understanding between them.
What does this tell us about its TG?
Common Man: The audience is a common man who struggles with pleasing others, and seeking validation from others— all at the cost of personal happiness.
Prevalent Patriarchy: Highlights the conservativeness of patriarchal households where men are the deciders of women’s ambitions and careers. Haven’t we all seen this happen at home or with women who are close to us? We have, right?
Confidence Is Contagious: One of the two partners (here, woman) is shown to be more patient. She believes in giving second chances and is hopeful. But the best part? She is gentle on herself too. She knows her seizures aren’t under her control and she doesn’t self-sabotage her.
People Love the Same Idea: This movie isn’t the first one to show how a man suffers from an inferiority complex but his wife helps him with the perspective change. But people still love watching light movies like these if the story is relatable and presented with the common man’s struggle.
This movie might not have worked out the same way if the story was complicated or didn’t highlight a common ill influence of the internet. It ends beautifully with both partners accepting each other and Varun breaking free from his conservativeness.
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani
The movie casts Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. There’s a scene in the movie where Ranveer says, “If we keep cancelling one another, we will never learn anything from anyone.” I don’t think anything else can sum up this movie better. The movie is all about cultural differences but majorly, it’s about wearing a veil of modernity and respect.
What does this tell us about its TG?
Family Is a Soft Spot: For almost everyone, family is their soft spot. It highly influences how one thinks and sees the world.
Breaking of Social Evils: Sadly, we still see men and women being assigned their gender roles. The movie shows the complications and perspective clashes between Ranveer and Alia, and between their families too.
Taking a Stand for Oneself: What we may consider love and happiness, may never be so in the first place. And when do we realise this? When we start being true to ourselves and take a stand for ourselves. The movie has so many instances where the characters take a stand for themselves and thus, for those around them.
Life Is *Also* About Unlearning: Learning starts with unlearning. It requires one to let go of some parts of upbringing and adopt what can make life better.
The movie is less romance-heavy but more about making relationships with our loved ones work out. The takeaway can be right love can help you grow and choose yourself first.
That’s all for today. Let me know what you think of these movies. I am not a fan of recent Bollywood movies, but the way these movies have targeted their audience is impressive. Also, let me know if you want me to write more such NL issues.
Let’s Discuss Trends
I haven’t been getting time and mental energy to consume content the way I want to. But I am trying to tap into what works for the audience and why, and how it becomes a trend for them. This issue is one such example.
Handwritten note for you <3
Cya next Thursday!
Great breakdown, Rajita. I enjoyed 'Rocky and Rani' a lot. It was more than just a romantic drama, it addressed every aspect of the relationships and society sincerely. However, I can't say the same for Bawaal. I think the whole World War II trope was unnecessary, that was a serious issue on its own, and the movie takes that part and tries to draw parallel between Hitler and Varun, I think it's a little stretched and needed more sensitivity. Still, I believe it makes up for it a little in the concluding moments.
Would love to read more of these🙌✨
Yeah pls more of these NLs, maybe books,songs or k drama next time. Btw nice observation Rajita.