“Resul Pookutty explains how Bollywood’s pandemic missteps hurt its growth, while South Indian cinema thrived with patience and theatrical focus.”
Table of Contents
Introduction
Resul Pookutty, the renowned Oscar-winning sound designer, has been an influential voice in the Indian film industry for years. Recently, he made waves with his critique of Bollywood’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, contrasting it with the resilience shown by South Indian cinema. Pookutty, known for his work on films like Slumdog Millionaire and Pushpa: The Rise, argues that Bollywood’s panic-stricken decisions during the pandemic have led to a systemic crisis. Meanwhile, South Indian films—comprising Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam cinema—have flourished due to their patience and focus on theatrical releases. Let’s explore how these contrasting approaches have reshaped Indian cinema.

The Impact of the Pandemic on Cinema
When COVID-19 hit, the entire entertainment world came to a halt. Cinemas closed, film productions were paused, and uncertainty loomed over the future of movie releases. In this critical period, Bollywood made a major pivot: many films skipped traditional theatrical releases and sold their distribution rights to OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. While this provided immediate financial relief, Pookutty warns that this strategy altered Bollywood’s ecosystem in a way that proved unsustainable.
Bollywood’s Response to the Pandemic
Bollywood’s response to the pandemic was driven by the desire to recover lost revenue quickly. With cinemas shuttered, many filmmakers turned to OTT platforms, bypassing traditional theater releases. On the surface, this decision seemed logical—OTT platforms offered an immediate audience and a new distribution model. However, Pookutty believes this created a dangerous reliance on a few dominant platforms, leading to a fragile ecosystem.
South Cinema’s Strategy During the Pandemic
In stark contrast, South Indian filmmakers adopted a more patient and measured approach. While the pandemic posed similar challenges for the South Indian film industry, filmmakers prioritized theatrical releases, even under restrictions. Rather than panic and pivot to OTT, they held firm in their belief that the theater experience was irreplaceable.
The Resilience of South Indian Cinema
South Indian cinema’s strategy during the pandemic highlighted its resilience. Despite the limited theater capacity and ongoing challenges, South Indian films like Pushpa: The Rise continued to thrive. Released in December 2021, Pushpa performed exceptionally well in the Hindi-speaking market, making over ₹100 crore even under restrictive conditions. Its box office success, despite being available on OTT, showed how the South Indian film industry held onto its core values of storytelling and audience engagement.

The Shift Toward OTT Platforms
The pivot to OTT platforms in Bollywood was driven by immediate financial concerns, but it has had lasting implications. While this shift allowed for quicker distribution, it also led to an over-dependence on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. According to Pookutty, this reliance has made Bollywood vulnerable, as it now depends on the decisions of a handful of OTT giants to determine whether a film gets made or not.
The Dependency on OTT
Bollywood’s growing dependence on OTT platforms has created an unsustainable business model. Films that may have thrived in theaters are now subject to the whims of digital distributors. If a major platform declines to purchase a film, the movie doesn’t get made—an issue South Indian cinema has managed to avoid by holding firm to its theatrical roots.
The Long-term Impact on Bollywood
The long-term impact of Bollywood’s OTT shift is starting to show. Not only has it weakened Bollywood’s relationship with its audience, but it has also diminished the cultural importance of movie theaters in the Hindi film industry. Once the industry’s backbone, theaters are now facing an existential crisis due to the rapid growth of digital streaming.
South Cinema’s Collective Approach
One key difference between Bollywood and South Indian cinema is the latter’s unified approach. South Indian filmmakers, across different regional industries, showed solidarity during the pandemic. They stuck to their guns and prioritized theatrical releases, refusing to abandon their belief in cinema’s magic on the big screen. This collective strength helped keep the industry alive and maintain its strong relationship with audiences.

Patience and Strategic Focus
The patience displayed by South Indian filmmakers allowed them to take calculated risks. While the world was still uncertain about the future of cinema, South Indian filmmakers held out for theater reopenings. Their belief in their films—and their audiences—paid off when movies like Pushpa became major blockbusters even in a post-pandemic world.
Success Stories: Pushpa: The Rise
The success of Pushpa: The Rise is a textbook example of how South Indian cinema maintained its theatrical appeal. Released during government-mandated theater capacity limits, the film’s success was nothing short of extraordinary. It not only thrived in theaters but also continued to draw audiences even after its release on OTT platforms—a rare achievement in today’s market.

The Audience’s Role: Is Bollywood Out of Touch?
Pookutty also weighs in on the growing disconnection between Bollywood and its audience. He asserts that the problem lies not with the audience but with the content that Bollywood is offering. South Indian filmmakers have been delivering consistently engaging stories that resonate with audiences, while Bollywood has failed to provide the same level of connection.
Content vs. Audience
The truth is simple: if you give audiences the right content, they will flock to theaters. However, Bollywood has struggled to match the expectations of viewers, while South Indian filmmakers have remained steadfast in their commitment to engaging, high-quality storytelling.
The Ripple Effect of Bollywood’s Choices
The shift toward OTT platforms in Bollywood has had a ripple effect, especially in terms of audience behavior. As viewers got accustomed to the convenience of digital streaming, the allure of theaters began to fade. This has had a long-term impact on Bollywood’s box-office performance and its connection with its core audience.
Breaking the Link to Theaters
South Indian cinema, on the other hand, has maintained its strong theater culture. By focusing on theatrical releases, South filmmakers have kept audiences coming back to theaters, preserving the cinematic experience that Bollywood seems to have lost touch with.
The Success of South Indian Cinema
In 2024, the disparity between Bollywood and South Indian cinema became even more evident. While Stree 2 was the biggest Hindi hit of the year, grossing approximately ₹600 crore, it was eclipsed by Pushpa: The Rule, which made over ₹800 crore in its Hindi version alone. This stark difference in box-office performance underscores the growing dominance of South Indian films.
Case Study: Stree 2 vs. Pushpa: The Rule
The success of Pushpa: The Rule serves as a wake-up call for Bollywood. While Stree 2 performed well in terms of box office numbers, it still couldn’t match the impact of South Indian films like Pushpa: The Rule, demonstrating the shifting tides in Indian cinema.

Key Takeaways for Bollywood
For Bollywood to reclaim its relevance, it must learn from the successes of South Indian cinema. The focus should be on delivering quality films that resonate with audiences and maintaining strong ties to theatrical releases.
Rebuilding Bollywood’s Reputation
It’s not too late for Bollywood to reinvent itself. By prioritizing storytelling, focusing on theatrical experiences, and regaining audience trust, Bollywood can rise from its current predicament and once again become a dominant force in global cinema.
The Future of Bollywood and South Cinema
Looking forward, Bollywood must adapt to the changing landscape of the entertainment industry. South Indian cinema’s growth shows no signs of slowing, and Bollywood will need to evolve to compete with this rising wave. Only time will tell whether Bollywood can re-establish itself as the leader in Indian cinema or whether South Indian films will continue to dominate the box office.
Conclusion
Resul Pookutty’s critique of Bollywood’s pandemic strategy provides valuable insights into the ongoing transformation of Indian cinema. The contrast between Bollywood’s OTT dependency and South Indian cinema’s resilience showcases how patience, unity, and a focus on storytelling can lead to lasting success. Bollywood may be facing a crisis of its own making, but with the right changes, it has the potential to rebuild and reconnect with its audience.
FAQ’S
Why does Resul Pookutty believe Bollywood is struggling?
Resul Pookutty attributes Bollywood’s struggles to its reliance on OTT platforms during the pandemic, which created an unsustainable model and weakened its connection with theater audiences.
How did South Indian cinema handle the pandemic differently?
South Indian cinema prioritized theatrical releases, even during restrictions, and resisted the urge to sell films to streaming platforms. This approach kept audiences engaged with the big-screen experience.
What example highlights South cinema’s success during the pandemic?
The film Pushpa: The Rise released with limited theater occupancy in 2021 but still grossed over ₹100 crore in the Hindi market, showcasing the audience’s willingness to return to cinemas for compelling content.
What does Resul Pookutty say about Bollywood’s audience?
He believes there is nothing wrong with the audience. They will watch movies in theaters if provided with the right content, which Bollywood has failed to consistently deliver.
How has the reliance on OTT platforms affected Bollywood?
Bollywood’s dependence on OTT platforms has made film production overly reliant on streaming deals, limiting creative and financial flexibility.
Why is South Indian cinema outperforming Bollywood?
South Indian cinema focuses on strong storytelling, patience, and unity, ensuring that audiences remain loyal to theaters and the cinematic experience.
What lesson can Bollywood learn from South cinema?
Bollywood should focus on delivering high-quality, theater-worthy films and rebuild its relationship with audiences rather than relying heavily on digital platforms.
How do box-office numbers reflect this shift?
In 2024, Pushpa: The Rule earned over ₹800 crore in its Hindi version alone, surpassing Bollywood’s top performer Stree 2, which made ₹600 crore globally.
What does Resul Pookutty mean by Bollywood “panicking”?
He refers to Bollywood’s quick decision to sell films to OTT platforms during the pandemic, which he sees as a short-term fix that disrupted the industry’s traditional theatrical model.
How has South Indian cinema maintained audience loyalty?
By prioritizing theatrical releases and delivering engaging, high-quality films, South Indian cinema ensured that audiences continued to value and visit theaters.