Published 10:53 IST, June 24th 2020
Shekhar Kapur pens Bollywood's eulogy & refers to it in past tense; reveals why it 'died'
Shekhar Kapur took dig at Bollywood by using it in past tense. The filmmaker revealed that it 'died', while highlighting practices like 'monopolising theatres.'
The Hindi film industry is the most popular film industry in the country that produces the most number of films in the world. The stars of the Hindi film industry are popular around the world, and every day (before lockdown), numerous people across the country come to Mumbai to try their luck. However, despite the success, glamour and the glitz, ‘Bollywood’ has often come under fire over a range of issues.
While casting couch and exploitation have been among them for years, in recent years, nepotism, campism, favouritism, influencing theatres and trade industry, and negative reportage of competitors have been rife. Amid the industry facing flak for alleged ‘boycott’ of Sushant Singh Rajput, who passed away recently, Shekhar Kapur took a dig at Bollywood on these practices.
The director asked a question in the past tense, ‘What was Bollywood?’ The veteran then wrote that it was a system where people could earn over Rs 100 crore every week by ‘monopolising theatres, publicity and stars.’
He then wrote that he was under the impression that it was about films, something he seemed unsure of now. “Yes, that too, perhaps. Maybe,” he wrote.
The Mr India filmmaker asked why the industry ‘died’ and answered that it had ‘imploded’, due to the aforementioned practices. This he claimed was before the COVID-19, that has now ‘killed theatrical business.’
Here’s the post
What was Bollywood?
— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) June 23, 2020
System where few individuals could make over 100’s crores per week by monopolising theatres, publicity and stars.
I thought it was about film?
Yes, that too, perhaps. Maybe.
Why did it die?
It imploded. And virus killed theatrical bussiness.
Shekhar Kapur is currently in the news for expressing his opinion in the aftermath of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. The director, who had worked with the late actor on Paani, had shared that the late actor had cried when the film got shelved. As the filmmaker revealed that he was aware of the pain that the Chhichhore star was going through, he shared that naming people was of no value, and that bringing down the ‘system’ was more important.
Updated 10:53 IST, June 24th 2020