New Delhi, Aug. 20 -- Mainstream Bollywood stars, long known for working with select top production houses and established filmmakers, are increasingly signing up for lower-budget, experimental projects helmed by names with relatively niche or digital-first followings.

For instance, Alia Bhatt will be seen in the next instalment of horror fantasy Tumbbad with Sohum Shah, while Ranveer Singh has signed up for Pralay, a survival and action thriller to be directed by Jai Mehta, known for shows like Scam 1992. Salman Khan is slated to feature in a superhero comedy by Raj and DK of The Family Man fame.

Industry experts say this is part of a broader and increasingly structural trend. A new generation of filmmakers has built loyal audiences th...