Monday 7 November 2022

Indian Film Magazines: the 1980s and 90s were the golden era for the movie glossy


Indian Film Magazines: the 1980s and 90s were the golden era for the movie glossy. And I have most of them stored back home, in a wall to wall book case in my library. Always looking to add to the collection esp some issues missing from the early 1980s of Sridevi in Bollywood... 

If Sridevi was on the cover, I bought two copies - later if Aishwarya Rai was on the cover too. 

Then, the internet happened. 

Stopped buying magazines altogether. Be it the hot shot or juicy quote or enthraalling interview, you can see it online - and for free - so why buy the mag? 

As mentioned earlier, many magazies have gone under - what's left is circling the drain. The blood stains are visible from far. 

All publishing houses need to invest big time for an online presence, master social media and figure out different revenue streams if the industry is going to survive in its new fangled form. 

Stardust was invincible in the 1970s and 1980s - look at their covers now. Tragic. The higher you climb, the mightier the fall. 

Showtime, Aura, Cinema Cinema, tinsel town, even the Zee funded magazine died a tragic death on newsstands. 

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