Hindi filmmakers are pushing violence to new extremes, showing it in a more unfiltered and raw manner. Movies like Animal and Dhurandhar have been smashing box-office records while at the same time sparking intense debate for their moral ambiguity.
So let's explore deeper into why violence is trending. Are Indian audiences actually enjoying the escalating violence on screen, or have they simply grown desensitised to it? And are violent movies here to stay?
Hindi films are becoming more violent because shock sells. It's not that people are asking for more brutality on screen, but shocking scenes are grabbing people's attention despite the discomfort they cause.
Scenes like this spark controversy. It makes people curious and want to talk about it with others. While it's not about actually enjoying the violent scene, people go watch the film to see what everyone is reacting to, which in turn boosts ticket sales. Because of this, industries start viewing the numbers as audience approval and therefore start adding more violent scenes in films.
When box-office success is judged quickly, and visibility takes precedence over long-term impact, it’s easy to see why filmmakers feel incentivised to push boundaries. Violence, for now, remains one of the fastest ways to do that, even if audience reactions suggest unease rather than genuine enthusiasm.
While there is a noticeable section of viewers who genuinely like the raw and unfiltered violence because of the thrills it brings, majority of people tolerate the violent scenes rather than enjoy them.
When I asked people whether they enjoyed Dhurandhar, the response I received was somewhat similar. People loved the storyline but found that some of the violent scenes went too far. There was, however, a friend who told me she was okay with the violence since she’d been exposed to that kind of content, but her husband felt some scenes crossed into truly shocking territory.
This suggest that viewers who have had repeated exposure to violence can tolerate it better, but many still react strongly to it. Some people walked out of theatres after watching movies like Animal, started debating online and even questioned whether such extreme violence was necessary for the film. If people really did enjoy violence, the dominant response would be more of an admiration rather than an expression of discomfort.
Dhruv Rathee, a famous Indian YouTuber, strongly criticised Hindi films for their severe on-screen violence. He says that normalising cruelty can make young audiences less sensitive to violence over time. In a way, he’s suggesting that this kind of exposure can dull emotional responses in real life, making them less compassionate.
At the same time, different section of viewers sees it differently. For them, watching violence in a controlled environment heightens emotions rather than numbs them. They experience it as a form of emotional release and feel cathartic rather than disturbed.
There is also a middle group of viewers who accept violence, but that's only if they feel that the scene has a purpose and isn't just there to elicit cheap thrills.
Taken together, people are not actually approving violence in films, but end up watching it because of the hype or to form their own opinion after hearing others' reactions, like, "that scene was too much". In short, viewers are not asking for more violence but just watching along.
At the moment, violence, if anything, is becoming a selling point, so yes, the trend will continue. So expect to see even more graphic scenes or taboo-breaking violence for a while.
As long as movies like this are making money, producers and directors will keep making them. It's the controversies surrounding these films that give them even more attention. It becomes like an indirect marketing. These films get enormous curiosity, and as a result, people go watch.
That said, while violent cinema is here to stay, it's not guaranteed forever. Audience tolerance has its limits, and if pushed too far, a backlash could follow. Not every dark film is going to work, and if people start getting tired of repetitive violence that feels pointless and offensive, they will turn towards entertainment that feels softer and lighter.
So while Bollywood is currently revelling in blood and gore, it will adjust based on feedback.