When will this dry spell of Bollywood end? Or will it ever end?
– Of course, it will come to an end. Don’t lose heart! It’s definitely not the end of the world for the Hindi film industry. It may be passing through terrible times but what seems to be magnifying the problem is that simultaneously when original Hindi films aren’t performing well at the box-office, dubbed Hindi versions of South films are going great guns. And by the way, your prayers seem to have already been answered. The initial of BHOOL BHULAIYAA 2 in the national multiplex chains today is excellent.
Producers learn their lesson when films expected to earn profits turn out to be box-office duds. But for a producer like Aditya Chopra, the returns from non-theatrical sources are so huge that even their flop film like Jayeshbhai Jordaar turns out to be an earning proposal at the end of the day. Does it mean that he will never learn a lesson?
– Why just Aditya Chopra? Do you really think, producers ever learn their lesson? I don’t think so. Everyone is in such a tearing hurry to make films that they don’t seem to have the time to take a step back and analyse why their film flopped. The easiest escape route for a producer, who has delivered a flop, is to say that nobody can predict what will work at the box-office and what won’t, and move on to the next project. Have you ever heard of a producer trying hard to understand the reasons for his film’s failure? If you ask me, I would still condone a failure but what is more shocking is when a producer is convinced, after watching the film but before its release, that he has made a successful film, a hit or a blockbuster, and that film turns out to be a flop. That is cause for concern, especially in the case of recent Hindi films like JAYESHBHAI JORDAAR, RUNWAY 34, and HEROPANTI 2, all of which have flopped because they’ve been rejected by the paying public.
I am a struggling actor. I’m trying my best to get a break in films but it’s just not happening. Can you give me some tips?
– Getting a break is one of the most difficult things in the film industry because there are lakhs of people like you, who nurture dreams of becoming actors and who are struggling like you. But you should not restrict yourself to trying for a break in films only. Try to get work on television, in web series, maybe even theatre. In short, you ought to be acting on whatever platform possible. This will help you hone your skills and also reduce your frustration. Also, give yourself a realistic time frame for your struggle. If you get a break within that time, great; if not, try your hand at something else.