Blending style with substance: Evolving language of espionage in storytelling
The spy genre is the current flavour of the season. Where are espionage stories heading with the emergence of shows like 'The Freelancer,' 'Special Ops' and 'The Family Man'? On Cinematic Saturday, we speak to artistes from the Hindi cinema to understand the changing landscape of the Indian spy genre.
In Short
- There has been a surge in the spy genre with the digital streaming revolution
- 'War 2' brings espionage story with James Bond-inspired action, style and gadgets
- The content-consumption habits of audiences have also evolved with spy-based OTT shows
Hindi cinema has recently seen a boom in the spy genre. From Salman Khan's 'Ek Tha Tiger' (2012) kickstarting the origins of Yash Raj Films' spy universe, to Neeraj Pandey's 'Baby' (2015) and 'Naam Shabana' (2017), the espionage saga in films and shows has evolved over the years. With Pandey's grounded storytelling or YRF's 'Mission Impossible'-inspired thrillers with a Bond-like flair in the spy genre, the genre has created a new cinematic wave in Hindi cinema. However, when it comes to films and shows, the audiences have grown to appreciate much more than gadgets, glitz and glamour over the years. Where is this genre heading, though? Is it all style and mass, but no meat? IndiaToday.in spoke to the industry experts to understand more about the genre and where it is heading.
While thinking of espionage stories, a larger-than-life spectacle often comes into the picture. There has been a template in terms of storytelling in the genre by blending jingoism with the commercial elements of mainstream Bollywood. These stereotypes have now been broken with the OTT boom. Audiences are now rooting for more grounded and relatable characters and are not going to settle for mere style over substance.
