Lal Singh Chadda came and went. I did not watch it, did not feel like doing it. I have just grown indifferent to Bollywood, like millions of viewers. The passion of masses for Bollywood has gone cold, dead cold.

It has little to do with the boycott frenzy that has swept across the Hindi film industry. If it had been otherwise, LSC would have made billions. Provoked by the anti-Muslim propaganda, if only 10% Indian Muslims had thronged theatres, the movie would have become a blockbuster. Nothing of the sort happened. Likewise, Akshay's Hinduistic narrative about Samrat Prithviraj would have lured Hindu viewers to theatres.

In my view, the following six points can explain Bollywood's plight. One, most Bollywood filmmakers simply want to feed off remakes. Two, a large section of artists has become servile to the BJP government, and would not dare raise any issue of public interest, thereby losing credibility as role models. Three, the loss of credibility is deepened to see many artists dancing to the tunes of tobacco and liquor lords. Four, some unsavoury details of celebs' personal lives have exposed the ugly side of their fantasy world. Five, web series such as Gullak and Panchayat are offering simple, clean, and realistic stories. Six, Southern films with their original and highly-entertaining stories are winning viewers' hearts.

The age-old Bollywood magic has begun to wane now. It has lost forever the awe and adulation with which public beheld it once.