By Bollywood is undergoing a significant transformation, with franchises emerging as a game-changing trend shaping the industry’s future. This shift gained momentum when Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films unveiled an ambitious slate of eight interconnected films in his horror-comedy universe, culminating in a grand finale titled Mahayudh.
In 2024, Maddock Films delivered hits like Stree 2, Munjya, and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, further cementing Vijan’s reputation as a visionary storyteller. Known for pioneering the horror-comedy genre with Stree in 2018, Vijan now seeks to redefine Bollywood’s narrative landscape with an interconnected universe of films scheduled for release over the next four years. The series will conclude with the two-part saga, Mahayudh, uniting its iconic characters in an epic finale.
Franchises: Bollywood’s Answer to Hollywood’s Blockbusters
The upcoming Maddock slate features titles like Thama (2025), Bhediya 2 (2026), Stree 3 (2027), and Mahayudh (2028). Each installment expands the narrative and aims to set a new benchmark for Indian cinema.
This evolution in Bollywood mirrors Hollywood’s successful franchise model, which gained traction in 2008 with the release of Iron Man. Major Hollywood studios, including Disney, began focusing on fewer but larger tentpole productions, maximizing audience engagement and box office returns. Similarly, Bollywood is witnessing an upsurge in sequels and interconnected stories. Notably, six of the top 10 highest-grossing Indian films are franchises, including Pushpa and Baahubali.
The pandemic further accelerated this trend. Post-lockdown, audiences craved larger-than-life cinematic experiences, prompting filmmakers to rely on franchise storytelling as a safer investment amid rising production costs.
While franchises bring undeniable advantages like box office success, audience loyalty, and global appeal, they also come with challenges. Creative fatigue, high financial stakes, and meeting audience expectations remain significant hurdles. Despite these risks, the franchise trend offers a promising future for Bollywood.
Maddock Films’ ambitious universe exemplifies how Bollywood can harness the power of franchises to elevate Indian cinema to global standards, ensuring its stories resonate across generations and geographies.
