There’s no denying that Bollywood is currently going through one of the most challenging periods in its history. Despite Stree 2 grossing over Rs 825 crore globally, as per industry tracker Sacnilk, the overall box office collection of Bollywood films this year remains significantly lower compared to last year. While some industry veterans have acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, others remain in denial, believing it will resolve itself over time. However, with the final quarter of the year approaching and no substantial changes in sight, efforts to find a viable solution remain absent, leaving the industry in a precarious position.
Meanwhile, a group of established and influential filmmakers recently came together to discuss the state of cinema. During this discussion, they unanimously emphasised that Hindi film heroes needed to step out of their comfort zones and be willing to experiment. They cited “Superstar” Rajinikanth and Malayalam megastar Mammootty as examples, both of whom have recently taken on roles that break away from their typical star personas.
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During a recent panel discussion hosted by The Hollywood Reporter India, director-producer Karan Johar praised Amitabh Bachchan for his portrayal in Kalki 2898 AD, particularly his performance in action scenes at the age of 81; and fellow filmmakers Vetri Maaran and Pa Ranjith from Tamil cinema, Zoya Akhtar from Hindi and Mahesh Narayanan from Malayalam agreed. Vetri, meanwhile, highlighted how southern superstars adapt to the stories they take on, rather than having the narratives altered to suit their stardom.
“All actors want to collaborate with directors who make unique and fresh films. But what happens is, they pick such directors and make them do their kind of films. Whereas when Rajinikanth calls Pa Ranjith, he wants to be part of a Ranjith film,” Vetri explained, earning praise from Karan for the Superstar. Rajinikanth and Ranjith worked together on Kabali (2016) and Kaala (2018).
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“They want the talent, not the narrative,” the Vada Chennai (2018) helmer added as Karan jokingly admitted that although he had tried to get Vetri to make a “Vetri film” for Dharma Productions, he never compromised, which drew laughter from the other panelists.
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“Stardom comes with a baggage, right? You have to collect this much money and it has to be a massive film etc. Mammootty doesn’t care about all these things. Be it a 40-day film or one that offers him only a small role, he is willing to do it. It’s about how well the role for him is written. Just like Amitabh Bachchan, Mammootty too has played all kinds of characters. So what he looks for now is how fresh the role is,” Mahesh explained, urging other actors to follow his example. Vetri added that when veteran stars take these kinds of risks, they inspire younger actors to do the same.
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