Bangalore (India) (AFP)

Its dances and songs normally allow Indians to escape their daily lives but Bollywood has had a black year due to scandals, the deaths of stars and the pandemic.

For 2021, Indian cinema wants to return to glory.

The Bombay-based film industry, the most prolific in the world, first had to endure the tragic deaths, 36 hours apart, of two of its idols, Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor, in April.

The procession of deaths continued with those of composer Wajid Khan, the aftermath of Covid-19 at 42, director Basu Chatterjee, first Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan and singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, counting 40,000 movie songs to his repertoire.

But it is undoubtedly the suicide of comedian Sushant Singh Rajput, at 34, which caused the greatest stir, especially after the arrest of his former companion, actress Rhea Chakraborty accused of having bought her drugs.

Some media had raged against the 28-year-old star, accusing him of having resorted to cannabis and black magic in order to drive Rajput to suicide.

Stars including superstar Deepika Padukone were questioned in September by police for the purposes of the investigation before Rhea Chakraborty's release on bail in October after a few months in detention.

Bollywood has been portrayed by some as an unfair community, depraved by drug use.

"The smear campaign waged by some media against the film industry has been appalling," actress Swara Bhasker told AFP, "it has been a terrible year."

- "What new normal? -

At the same time, the coronavirus has forced film producers to take a break from filming in Bollywood, the heart of the Hindi film industry, or in other regional strongholds of Indian cinema.

But on the sets, normally swarms a multitude of couriers, extras and poorly paid workers.

“The loss of jobs and income has been detrimental for many of them,” says Swara Bhasker.

Productions have provisionally resumed but restrictions against Covid-19 prohibit them from filming characteristic musical scenes.

Cinemas, closed for months, reopened in October, but spectators dreading the coronavirus have still not returned.

Movie theatrical releases are on hold, and producers are turning to streaming platforms, which are booming.

This is the case of the detective film "Ludo" launched on Netflix last month, in which the actor Abhishek Bachchan plays.

He, however, believes that the experience in a dark room "can not be replaced".

"We love our outings to the cinema and watching our movies on the big screen while enjoying our popcorn, our samosas and our cold drinks, accompanied by friends and family," he told AFP.

"I absolutely believe in the return of cinemas, I really hope so," he adds, admitting that this prospect remains uncertain today.

"What will the new normal be?"

- "A big Big Bang" -

If Hollywood has raised the idea of ​​showing films in theaters and on digital platforms simultaneously - Warner Bros. planning to apply this strategy for all its film releases in 2021 - Bollywood has not announced any such thing.

For director and comedian Anurag Kashyap, who stars in "AK vs AK", a black comedy coming out this week on Netflix, "some movies demand to be shown on the big screen."

The filmmakers shoot their films in conditions adapted to the mode of projection planned with the production, he explains, also "studios and distributors must keep their promise".

Faced with the accumulated losses, many cinemas have drawn the curtain and many others are considering withdrawing, warns Komal Nahta, expert in the cinema market.

"It will be catastrophic," he told AFP.

But some optimistic observers want to believe that the progress of vaccination will allow Indian cinema to achieve a theatrical comeback worthy of the best Bollywood films.

“How long it will take, I don't know,” admits Komal Nahta, “but it will be a big Big Bang”.

"The film industry is eternal", also wants to believe Hari Prasad Jayanna, a director of Bangalore, bastion of films shot in Kannada, the official language of the state of Karnataka.

© 2020 AFP