The Hindi film industry is headed for a correction following the failures of several big-budget, star-driven films this year. Their performances have haunted Bollywood, compelling the industry to revitalize its upcoming projects. As an aftereffect, many large-scale projects have either been reduced in production budget or shelved for the time being in order to lower the financial risk associated with them. 

The film business is so uncertain these days that no preconceived formula is working anymore. Big-budget, star-studded films are underperforming at the box office despite a lot of hype and expectation, while slice-of-life, experimental, and mid-budget films are becoming popular with viewers — a sharp contrast to prior trends. As a result, producers are becoming more risk-apprehensive and cutting back on the funding of large-scale, ambitious projects or delaying them until they appear more financially feasible, according to industry sources. 

Siddharth Anand and Rohit Dhawan have shelved their long-in-the-works Rambo remake due to the waning box office appeal of its leading star, Tiger Shroff. Siddharth still intends to make the film eventually, but for now, it's on hold, with director Rohit already shifting focus to another project. Tiger’s other movie, Ganapath, originally announced as a two-part film, is no longer moving ahead following the fate of its first part last year.

Another project on the backburner is the biopic of a legendary Bollywood actress. Announced last year with a young heroine attached, the film has now been indefinitely delayed due to budgetary concerns. It was reportedly going over budget, making producers uncomfortable about proceeding with it. Rights issues also contributed to the decision to pass on the project for now. Anurag Basu’s Kishore Kumar biopic with Ranbir Kapoor has similarly been put on hold again, despite Kumar's family greenlighting the project last year.

Sidharth Malhotra’s Spyder has also been halted due to budgetary constraints. The large-scale spy actioner has seen hesitation from producers following Sidharth’s release, Yodha. His last box office hit was Kapoor & Sons nine years ago, and although he found success with Shershaah on OTT, this hasn't translated into his sustained box office appeal, discouraging producers to invest heavily in him.

Vashu Bhagnani’s Ashwatthama project with Shahid Kapoor is no longer a 500-crore ambitious spectacle. The production budget of this mythological epic has been slashed to 200 crores, with Shahid Kapoor also agreeing to reduce his fee considering the extensive production and visual effects required. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Karna, starring Suriya and Janhvi Kapoor, has been delayed as producers reassess the earlier planned massive budget. Initially conceived as a two-part film at 600 crores, they are scaling back to ensure financial feasibility. While preparations are underway, the exact shooting timelines for this mythological epic are yet to be finalized.

Ranveer Singh’s film with Uri: The Surgical Strike director Aditya Dhar is also being re-budgeted, according to reports. Though starting in the second half of this year, the film will proceed with a lighter financial footprint. Ranveer has been asked to reduce his acting fee for this mission-based spy story. His other project, Shaktiman, is also undergoing budgetary reevaluation due to the lead actor's recent box office setbacks.

Producers are now reluctant to take extraordinary risks and are being cautious when approving projects. The industry's recent lack of announcements is a reflection of this cautious attitude, as industry insiders realize that pricing can be a double-edged sword that, if not handled properly, might paralyze the entire sector.