Why Ground Research is Crucial in Hindi Cinema

PNN
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 5: In Hindi cinema, it is often said that stars are not made in studios; they are made by the audience. This is why many films have been declared flops despite grand promotions, while smaller, unexpected films win over viewers' hearts. The key lies in one simple truth: understanding the pulse of the audience.
In recent years, content, curation, and consulting agency Likhaiya Dot Com has pioneered this approach. By conducting ground-level surveys across more than 150 Hindi-speaking districts of India, the agency has been mapping what real audiences want, the kind of stories they expect and the faces they are ready to welcome on the big screen.
Pankaj Shukla, founder of Likhaiya Dot Com, cites the example of Ahaan Pandey to understand this. He says, "Just a month before the release of the film 'Saiyaara', Likhaiya Dot Com carried out a wide-ranging survey with three simple questions: a) Are you bored of seeing the same average faces in Hindi films? b) Do you feel a need for a fresh and impactful new face? c) Which upcoming actor's film are you most eagerly waiting for?
The survey covered more than 15,000 participants across 150-plus Hindi-speaking districts. Results showed that 83% answered yes to the first question, 92% responded yes to the second. And on the third question, the clear winner was Ahaan Pandey.
Ahaan received nearly 50% of the votes, while contemporaries like Ibrahim Ali Khan, Agastya Nanda, Shanaya Kapoor, Simar Bhatia, and Harnaaz Sandhu all remained under 10 percent.
The results proved to be spot on. Even before release, Ahaan Pandey became the most-awaited debutant face of 2025, winning over half of Hindi cinema's audience simply through the trailer of Saiyaara.
When asked about how Likhaiya Dot Com can support the Hindi film industry in larger terms, Mr. Shukla shared that his agency's work goes far beyond basic number-crunching. Their goal is to help filmmakers and producers get real insights from audiences in the Hindi belt.
The agency has collected hundreds of folk tales and themes from Hindi-speaking regions. It aims to support producers and directors in fresh screenplays, relatable dialogues and authentic Hindi along with its dozens of dialects. Pankaj Shukla has also been active as Script Doctor for some time and he has been suggesting corrections before a film's release once the first cut of the movie is shown to him.
This approach has made the agency a bridge between filmmakers and the audience, ensuring that creative decisions align with real, grassroots feedback.
The agency's impact isn't limited to newcomers. Some time ago, Likhaiya Dot Com conducted another independent survey for an FMCG brand in Hindi-speaking regions, where actor R. Madhavan was voted as the "Most Authentic Actor".
The result significantly boosted his professional trajectory. Reports suggest that Madhavan now charges over ₹12 crore per film, and his brand endorsement fee has risen to nearly ₹3 crore per day per year. His "authenticity value" today surpasses even many established Bollywood stars, particularly in northern India.
Shukla says that Hindi cinema is at a turning point. Big budgets and glamorous campaigns are no longer enough. What matters now is research, realism, and resonance with the audience. Surveys like those conducted by Likhaiya Dot Com prove that ground research can identify future stars and guide filmmakers toward themes that connect deeply with audiences.
The Ahaan Pandey case study is the freshest example: winning half the audience even before his first film's release shows how vital research-backed strategies are for the future of Hindi cinema.
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