| Worked in 2022 | Didn't Work | |----------------|--------------| | Strong regional roots (e.g., Gangubai 's Gujarat setting) | Mindless action with poor VFX | | 2-hour runtime (e.g., Uunchai – 2h 40m was seen as long but earned praise for content) | 3-hour+ epics with weak second halves | | Female-led complex stories ( Darlings , Mili ) | "Masala" films with item songs and forced comedy | | Horror-comedy (a proven genre) | Pure slapstick (e.g., Cirkus ) |