Disrupt or be ignored: Why ad filmmaking in India needs a creative reset

Mumbai: Fortunately for us, we’re in a super competitive market, which means the only way to reach the top or stay there is to do something disruptive, every single time. 

The comfort trap, creativity on autopilot

Despite being one of the most competitive markets in the world, Indian ad filmmaking today feels creatively stagnant. The industry is trapped in a cycle of imitation, chasing trends, reusing formulas, and mistaking familiarity for innovation. Directors are relying on the same deadpan humour, video game end music clichés, probe lens technique, and a quick-paced edit pattern that feel dated.

We’re seeing the same tricks repeated over and over, techniques that were exciting four years ago. “That’s not innovation; it’s replication.”

Good isn’t good enough anymore

In the age of instant skipping and infinite scroll, merely good storytelling isn’t enough. Attention isn’t given; it’s earned. We need to create work that stops people in their tracks, that commands attention not just locally, but globally.

Indian agencies are already proving their mettle in strategy and concept, especially in international award circuits. Now, it’s time for film craft to catch up. “Why shouldn’t our production values match the ambition of our ideas?”

The missing piece, creative ownership

One of the biggest gaps is a lack of deep creative ownership. Too often, average international directors who don’t get much work in their countries are flown in for a shoot and do the job just for the sake of doing it and making a quick buck. The result? Surface-level execution.

We need a more invested approach, where directors partner with creatives from the outset, truly immersing themselves in the idea’s journey. Great work needs empathy. It needs collaboration. And most importantly, it needs conviction. 

Safe is the enemy of great

Another roadblock is the safety net that many production houses have grown comfortable with. “Safe is forgettable,”  “And forgettable doesn’t win hearts or awards.”

Directors need to be brave and challenge scripts, elevate narratives, and fight for ideas worth remembering. It’s not enough to just deliver the brief; the goal should be to transform it into something impossible to ignore.

Beyond the platform, bringing back soul

In the rush to create “thumb-stopping” content for fast-moving platforms, the soul of ad filmmaking has taken a hit. “We’ve traded emotion for efficiency,” But the ads that truly resonate are those that build culture and spark conversation; those are the ones crafted with care.

It calls for a return to the golden age of Indian ad films, where humour, nuance, and emotional depth were celebrated. “Let’s stop trend hopping and start storytelling again with curiosity, courage, and heart.”

The way forward

The path ahead isn’t just about doing things differently, it’s about doing them better. Indian ad directors need to shift from imitation to imagination, from efficiency to excellence. We owe it to the idea, “If we’re not here to make something that lasts, then what’s the point?”

Final thought

Here’s the brutal truth: We work in an industry where a SKIP button is quite literally hovering over every frame we create. Attention must be earned, not assumed. It has to be GREAT. We must be the generation of fearless, craft-driven filmmakers who aren’t afraid to take risks and do what needs to be done.