‘Local Biryani over fine dining': Nikhil Kamath's unlikely analogy captures what's shifting in the post-AI entertainment world

Time of India

11-07-2025

In a world rushing to redefine itself with AI, algorithms, and analytics, Indian billionaire entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath took a pause to champion something refreshingly human — taste, experience, and unapologetic emotion. 'I, for one, will pick a good local biryani place over a Michelin-star quality fancy restaurant 99 times out of 100,' Kamath posted on X (formerly Twitter). It wasn't just a casual food take. It was a metaphor, a preface to a larger, data-backed argument about what truly resonates with the Indian public — especially in a media landscape increasingly shaped by technology and global trends.
Bollywood's 'Brainrot' is Beating the Blockbusters
Kamath shared a visual-heavy research thread in collaboration with FinFloww titled "How the so-called 'brainrot' movies are saving Bollywood." It opened with a startling contrast: India's cinema footfalls dropped drastically during the pandemic, down to 200 million, and even in 2024, they hadn't recovered to 2018's 945 million peak. Yet the Indian concert economy was booming.
Why? According to Kamath's analysis: 'People are gravitating towards experiential, participatory activities over passive consumption.' In other words, a night at the theatre no longer feels like enough — unless it offers something raw, engaging, or emotionally indulgent.
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What's winning the audience's hearts (and wallets)? Not polished, globally-styled dramas — but masala movies unapologetically steeped in dance, drama, and familiar tropes. The year's top-grossing Hindi films, like Stree 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, and Munjya, are low-to-mid budget ventures that leaned into emotion and eccentricity. Kamath points out that eight out of the top ten blockbusters of 2024 had that 'unapologetic masala' at their core — suggesting Indian audiences still crave the 'paisa vasool' feeling that blends escapism with cultural memory.
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Anime, Not Art House: The Global Playbook for Indian Cinema
In a surprising detour, Kamath's thread compared the trajectory of Indian cinema with Japanese anime. He observed how, twenty years ago, anime was considered childish by many outside Japan. Today, its stylised storytelling and operatic emotion have become global gold. Western hits like Stranger Things now borrow heavily from anime's visual and narrative style.
His argument? Bollywood lost its way trying to imitate Western minimalism, forgetting that exaggeration and melodrama are its native tongue. 'Instead of toning down, it's time to double down,' Kamath suggests — not just for filmmakers, but for entrepreneurs building in the live entertainment and media space. 'Sell Bollywood's masala, melodrama, madness as a product to the world.'
Why Masala Wins in a Machine-Driven Age
For Kamath, the entertainment industry — especially live events — offers a unique counterpoint to the impersonal world AI seems to be ushering in. 'Building something in the space of live events may be the contrarian bet to make in a post-AI world,' he wrote. In the algorithmic age, where screens dominate and attention is fragmented, the power of collective emotion, shared laughter, and visceral drama might just be the most human — and profitable — antidote.
His critique goes beyond cinema. It hints at the larger truth about consumption in India: quality is not always about polish. It's about relevance. A hearty biryani trumps imported truffle oil if it connects with the soul. Likewise, a chaotic, colorful masala film may offer more meaning to an Indian family than a nuanced European art-house narrative.
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Echoes from the Audience
Kamath's post sparked widespread agreement online. 'Audiences aren't rejecting cinema — they're rejecting mediocre cinema,' one user commented. Another added, 'Live events deliver what screens can't — raw, collective energy.' Many resonated with Kamath's nostalgia for communal, immersive, and unabashedly local experiences.
In an era when AI is teaching machines how to think, perhaps Kamath's thread is a timely reminder of what makes us human — our ability to feel, escape, and come together. And sometimes, that begins not with code or cinema, but with a plate of steaming biryani.