Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan believes Hindi filmmakers are struggling because they have moved away from storytelling rooted in strong emotions—something South Indian cinema continues to embrace.

Speaking at the press conference for ‘Aamir Khan: Cinema Ka Jadugar’, a special film festival by PVR-INOX celebrating his cinematic journey, Khan shared his insights on why South Indian films dominate the box office while many Hindi films struggle.

“We (Bollywood) have started making films for a finer, niche audience, but in doing so, we’ve forgotten the broader strokes of storytelling. Emotions like anger, love, and revenge are universal and hard-hitting. But we are now focusing on subtler emotions, like doubt, which don’t have the same impact,” Khan said, late on Sunday night.

The session, moderated by veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, explored the shift in Hindi cinema’s approach. Khan pointed out that South Indian filmmakers continue to make “mass” films that appeal to wider audiences, particularly through single-screen theatres.

“When multiplexes came in, we started making what we called ‘multiplex films.’ These were subtle, urban stories, catering to a smaller audience. Meanwhile, South filmmakers stuck to the essence of big-screen entertainment—high drama, strong emotions, and broad storytelling,” he explained.

According to Khan, Bollywood’s emphasis on multiplex-friendly narratives led to a disconnect with mass audiences. “The South makes the kind of films that used to be our bread and butter—powerful, gripping, and larger-than-life. Maybe we need to look back and rediscover that,” he added.

Khan is currently collaborating with Akhtar on ‘Lahore 1947’, a period drama starring Sunny Deol, under his production banner, Aamir Khan Productions.