I have been watching films for more than four decades now. I grew up in an era when cinema travelled slowly. A foreign film would arrive years after its original release, often badly dubbed or shown in a half-empty theatre during a festival week. Bollywood, for the most part, looked inward. Hollywood was distant, European cinema felt academic, and Asian cinema was barely visible.
In 2025, I sometimes feel I am watching a completely different world.
Today, films cross borders faster than songs on the radio once did. A Korean director collaborates with an Indian studio, a French cinematographer shoots a Hindi film, and a Bollywood actor appears in a Spanish or British production. For someone who has reviewed Hindi cinema for most of his life, this shift is both surprising and fascinating.
The question is not whether global film industries are collaborating more—but why now?
The Korean wave changed how we look at cinema
I still remember when Korean films were considered “festival cinema” in India. Serious, slow, and meant for a niche audience. That perception changed completely after Parasite.
When Bong Joon-ho’s film won the Oscar for Best Picture, it sent a clear message: language is no longer a barrier to global success. For Bollywood veterans like me, this was a wake-up call.
Korean cinema showed the world that strong writing, rooted stories, and confident direction could travel anywhere. Streaming platforms then carried this wave further, bringing Korean thrillers, romances, and dramas into Indian living rooms.
Suddenly, Indian producers wanted Korean writers, formats, and even remake rights.
Europe has always influenced us, quietly
European cinema has influenced Bollywood for decades, though we rarely acknowledged it openly. Many old Hindi films borrowed story ideas from Italian and French cinema. Directors like Guru Dutt and Hrishikesh Mukherjee were deeply inspired by European realism.
What has changed now is openness.
In 2025, collaborations with Europe are no longer hidden or indirect. Co-productions with France, Germany, and the UK are becoming common, especially for films aimed at festivals and OTT platforms.
European funding models, which support artistic films without demanding massive box office returns, are particularly attractive to Indian filmmakers tired of the star-driven system.
OTT platforms removed the fear of subtitles
In my younger days, distributors believed Indian audiences would never read subtitles. Today, the same audience watches Korean, Spanish, and Turkish shows without complaint.
OTT platforms deserve credit here.
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and others trained viewers to accept stories from anywhere, as long as the content was engaging. This cultural shift made global collaboration practical, not just aspirational.
For filmmakers, it meant something important: a film no longer had to “fit” one market. It could belong to many.
Bollywood’s mid-career filmmakers needed new energy
Many Bollywood directors from my generation or the one after found themselves stuck. The old formulas were failing, and younger audiences were not impressed by nostalgia alone.
Global collaboration offered fresh energy.
Working with Korean editors, European cinematographers, or international writers exposed Indian filmmakers to new ways of storytelling. The influence is visible in pacing, framing, and narrative structure.
This is not imitation—it is learning. And Bollywood needed it.
Actors now think beyond Hindi cinema
I have reviewed hundreds of star performances over the years. Earlier, success meant being number one in Mumbai. Today, success means visibility across platforms and borders.
Actors like Irrfan Khan showed the way long ago, working comfortably between Indian and international cinema. In 2025, this approach is becoming common.
Indian actors are no longer afraid of small roles in foreign films. They see global projects as career expansion, not compromise.
This mindset shift is crucial to collaboration.
Economics is a silent but powerful reason
Let us be honest—artistic reasons alone do not drive industries. Money matters.
Global collaborations help share risk. A film partly funded in Europe, partly in India, and distributed worldwide through OTT platforms has a better chance of survival.
For Indian producers, this reduces dependence on opening weekend box office numbers. For foreign producers, India offers scale, talent, and fresh stories.
It is a practical marriage, not a romantic one.
Film festivals became meeting grounds, not just showcases
I have attended many film festivals over the years. Earlier, they were about screenings and awards. Today, they are about networking.
Festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Busan are now active spaces for co-production deals. Indian filmmakers no longer attend only as spectators; they go as collaborators.
This has quietly changed the power dynamics. Indian cinema is no longer asking for entry—it is being invited.
Cultural confidence has grown
There was a time when Bollywood tried too hard to appear “international” by copying Western styles. That insecurity has faded.
Today’s collaborations work because Indian filmmakers are confident in their own voice. They bring local stories, textures, and emotions to the table without apology.
Global partners are not looking for imitation Bollywood. They are looking for authenticity.
This confidence makes collaboration respectful, not one-sided.
Challenges remain, and they are real
As an old reviewer, I must also sound a note of caution. Not every collaboration works. Cultural misunderstandings, creative clashes, and market miscalculations are common.
Sometimes, films lose their soul trying to please everyone. Other times, global ambition overwhelms local truth.
Collaboration should enrich cinema, not dilute it.
A personal reflection
When I started writing about films, I never imagined reviewing a Korean-Indian co-production or a Hindi film shot entirely in Eastern Europe. And yet, here we are.
Cinema has always evolved. What feels unfamiliar today often becomes normal tomorrow.
In 2025, global collaboration feels less like a trend and more like a natural step in cinema’s journey. Borders matter less, stories matter more.
For someone who has loved Hindi cinema all his life, this change does not feel like loss. It feels like growth.
And that, to an old reviewer, is the best kind of sequel cinema can offer.
