Film producer Dinesh Vijan delivered a candid and compelling take on the future of Indian cinema at the CII Big Picture Summit held in Mumbai on Monday. Speaking about the industry’s evolving landscape, Vijan reflected on the self-doubt that often limits Indian creators, and highlighted how trusting one's own content can lead to extraordinary results.
“We don’t believe in our own content,” he said, pointing out that this lack of confidence prevents creators from taking bold leaps. According to him, sometimes the industry needs an unexpected push or as he called it, “an accident” to discover what truly works. Vijan recalled how Stree in 2017 was that “accident” for his team. They were repeatedly told that a film like Stree would never work in theatres. Yet the supernatural-horror comedy defied every prediction and cultural assumption.
He shared, “People told us a film like Stree could never work in cinemas. But look at where we are today Stree 2 is now the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. Clearly, the experts don’t always know what’s coming, and they certainly underestimate the power of women. What I learned from this journey and Jyoti contributed immensely is that owning your content completely is essential if you want to think globally.”
Vijan also pointed out how digital deals create a sense of relief for producers because they help recover a major portion of production costs. But he noted that relying only on those recoveries can limit ambition. Turning his attention to the distribution of large-scale films, the producer spoke about Mahavatar, one of his most ambitious projects yet.He explained: “When we make a film like Mahavatar, it is not for sale anywhere. We don’t know how far a film of this kind can go. It might be the most Indian film we’ve ever made but it’s taken us almost 20 years to reach a point where we can hold on to a film of this scale and not sell it. This kind of conviction requires patience and perseverance. It hasn’t been done before.”
With his remarks, Vijan highlighted a crucial shift happening in the Indian industry — a move toward self-belief, ownership, and global aspirations. As Bollywood increasingly competes on international platforms, he believes the biggest leap forward will come when creators trust the stories rooted in their own soil.