Corporatisation Vs Creativity: Has Professionalism Ended Up Hurting The Art Form?

Bollywood’s corporatisation accelerated after 2000, with family-run studios transitioning to professional production houses, which happened with the entry of studios like Reliance Entertainment and Disney. This corporatisation of the film industry brought in the much needed professionalism which had been long missing. On the contrary, every now and then debates have taken place over the fact that this very corporatisation has stifled the creativity of film makers, hence becoming a double edged sword.

During IFFI-53 in 2022, during a panel discussion titled Corporate Culture in Film industry, director Vikas Bahl had commented that film-making is a business of heart and that corporate culture should match the creative film-making process. “One software called ‘Guts’ needs to be inserted into the excel sheets of corporates”, he had added. Director Abhishek Sharma had said that the Indian film industry needs to be more organised before it can be called an ‘Industry’. “Are we truly an organic industry? We need to introspect. We need to come together keeping aside personal profit and loss and think about the industry as a whole”, he had said.

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Even filmmaker Shekhar Kapur back in 2020 had tweeted about his film Dil Se during its 22nd year anniversary, suggesting that the change has not been good for Bollywood. “25 yrs ago Mani Ratnam, Ram Gopal Verma and I predicted that soon our creativity will be controlled by big corporations, if directors ourselves don’t get together to counter that corporate power. Dil Se was the first of that collaboration. Unfortunately, the last,” he had tweeted.

filmmaker Shekhar Kapur

This is a topic which keeps sprouting up every now and then. But where do we stand now? Has this corporatisation also resulted in a stifling of creativity? We spoke to some producers and industry figures, to ask them what they felt about this.

Anand Pandit, Producer

We once had legendary studios run by iconic figures like Mehboob Khan, Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Devika Rani, Kamal Amrohi, Bimal Roy, V Shantaram and BR Chopra. That era was very distinct, as each maker had their own vision and they gave us some of the most original and enduring cinematic classics. That phase also had its own unique challenges. Today, a lot has changed with legacy production houses being outnumbered by corporate entities.

Anand Pandit, Producer

Corporatisation fosters discipline in the way time, resources and money are managed. The current production models are efficient with a stronger focus on transparency, rights management, co-production structures, and financial accountability. Indian cinema is moving towards a more organised and globally aligned phase.

You cannot succeed in a creative field without a sharp business sense, but you cannot build a successful business either without creativity. When the audience watches a film, they really don't care how disciplined the crew was and what was said in the boardroom. They want stories that stir their emotions and characters they can feel something for. How films are made is important, but we must not forget who they are made for. Balance sheets don't matter to the audience. A film that moves them, entertains them, provokes thought and feeling is what matters to them at the end of the day.

While corporatisation marks a necessary and positive evolution essential for building a globally competitive film ecosystem. Still, the industry must remain free from excessive rigidity to retain the soulfulness that was once synonymous with our cinema.

Rahul Puri, Director of Academics, Whistling Woods International

“Corporatisation has undoubtably been a boon for the creative industry. It has allowed the industry to act as a business and expand beyond its wildest concepts. The reality though is it is a misunderstood word that is constantly used to blame for a lack of creativity or 'safe' choices when the fact is that corporate structures and best practices are simply there to reward, benefit and build process and workflows in which creativity can thrive. Good corporatisation will always benefit those in creative positions as it frees them to be able to focus on building out the best possible ideas for audiences and communities.

Rahul Puri

Sushilkumar Agrawal, CEO and Founder, Ultra Media and Entertainment

Corporatisation in cinema brings both benefits and challenges. On one hand, it provides financial stability and professional polish; on the other, it can gently nudge creativity into more familiar territories. The focus on ROI and audience-friendly content sometimes leads to familiar stories and safe bets, leaving a bit less space for innovative voices. This can make filmmaking a bit more predictable.

However, it's not all about compromise. Many filmmakers are finding ways to work within the system, blending commercial appeal with unique storytelling. The key is finding that sweet spot between commercial viability and creative freedom. When done right, cinema can captivate audiences while still pushing boundaries. It's a delicate balance, but one that's worth striving for."

Corporate shake ups

1. Dharma Productions 50% stake sold to Adar Poonawalla

In October 2024, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions sold a 50% stake to Serene Productions, the entertainment arm of industrialist Adar Poonawalla, in a transaction valued at Rs 1,000 crore.

2. Excel Entertainment 30% stake sold to Universal Music Group

In January 2026, the India unit of Universal Music Group (UMG) , the world’s largest music label , acquired a 30% stake in Excel Entertainment. The production house, run by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, had an enterprise valuation of Rs 2,400 crore, which means the 30% equity stake was roughly Rs 720 crore.

3. Maddock Films 50% stake sold to Nepean Capital

In 2022, the private equity firm Nepean Capital acquired a 50% stake in Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films.

4. Bhansali Productions’ strategic investment by Saregama

In 2025, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production house entered into a strategic partnership with Saregama India, via a ₹325 crore investment in compulsory convertible preference shares (CCPS).

Do you feel corporatisation has helped or harmed Bollywood? Write in at [email protected]

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