Filmmaker
Dibakar Banerjee
, who is known for films such as ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’, ‘Oye Lucky Lucky Oye’ and ‘Shanghai’, didn’t hold back when discussing his thoughts on the situation of the
Hindi cinema industry
as he feels it to be behind that of South India. The acclaimed filmmaker remarked that Bollywood is so disconnected from its roots that, in an attempt to ‘make money’, it is remaking a Marathi movie on a low budget, for commercial gain.
During a conversation with the Honestly Saying Podcast, Dibakar said that the
South Indian film industry
has impacted the way Bollywood has made films in the past years. The filmmaker said, “It is not a four-year issue, it has been 10-15 years, we have just been slow to read the signs. Over the last decade, decade and a half, they have come up with new interpretation of old superstars, they have invested in stories, invested in subversion in the superstar genre”
He further added, “In addition to that, the independent film industry, let’s say, the Kerala film industry, has kept the vibe because they have kept theatrical alive. They have not let their budgets get bogged down by astronomical star fees. They have also been intelligent about trying to increase the number of theatres.”
The filmmaker also mentioned how isolated Hindi film industry filmmakers are from stories around them, pointing out that the South Indian film industry has also invested in “local stories.” He said that powerful people in the Bollywood industry are known to indulge in English novels and Crossword bestsellers. Regrettably, they lack the proficiency to read Hindi, Bengali, or be acquainted with Gujarati narratives that are deeply rooted in our culture. He further added, “A Marathi filmmaker mounts a film on a low budget, and then we remake that and make money. Our ability to jump into our own stories is reducing, so South is definitely ahead of us.”
Dibakar Banerjee is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming film ‘Love Sex Aur Dhoka 2’. The film will hit the big screens on April 19.
#MeToo movement: Payal Rohatgi accuses Dibakar Banerjee of molestation and sexual harassment
