📌 Key Points
- Priyadarshan critiques Bollywood, stating actors often overshadow content and creative freedom.
- He emphasizes that content should be prioritized over glamour in Hindi cinema.
- The director reminisces about reuniting with Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal Yadav after a long gap for ‘Bhooth Bangla’.
- Priyadarshan is set to direct his 100th film, starring Mohanlal, marking a significant milestone.
Veteran director Priyadarshan returns to Hindi cinema with ‘Bhooth Bangla’ after a decade-long hiatus. He voices concerns about Bollywood, suggesting that actors’ dominance stifles creativity and emphasizes the need for content-driven storytelling.
Priyadarshan’s Bollywood Critique
Even though he began his cinematic journey with Malayalam cinema in the 80s, it was a string of hits in Hindi that made Priyadarshan a nationally recognised name. From Hera Pheri and Garam Masala to Bhool Bhulaiyaa , Priyadarshan was prolific in Bollywood in the first decade of the 21st century. But after 2013, he bid adieu to Hindi films to focus on Malayalam cinema again. Bhooth Bangla, his upcoming film, marks the filmmaker’s comeback to Hindi filmmaking. Ahead of the film’s release, the veteran filmmaker sat down with Hindustan Times to discuss his journey so far, return to Hindi cinema, and more.
Bhooth Bangla marks not just Priyadarshan’s return to Hindi films, but also his reunion with frequent collaborators Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, and the late Asrani. Reminiscing about the shoot days, the filmmaker says, “It was a very nostalgic shoot, meeting after so long. But when I took the first shot, it didn’t feel like 14 years; it felt as if only six months had passed. I have personal relations with all of them. With Tabu, I was doing a film after 25 years. The last with her was Hera Pheri.”
Return to Hindi Cinema with ‘Bhooth Bangla’
He indicts Hindi cinema when he says the industry still prioritises stars over storytelling. “I am not seeing new experiments in Bollywood. I think actors are dominating here. Creators don’t have creative liberty, that’s what I feel,” says the filmmaker, while clarifying that this is his observation and no ‘expert comment’ as some would take it as.
But he has one word of advice, or rather a line of advice for Bollywood. “They should know that content is more important than glamour,” he emphasises.
Content vs. Glamour: The Debate
In a career spread across four decades, Priyadarshan has directed 97 films. He recently announced his 100th project, which will star Mohanlal, the hero of his debut film. 100 films in four decades is the definition of prolificity. He remembers making seven films in one year in 1986. Why the rush, we ask. He laughs and says, “When I started making films, I was impatient. All I wanted to say, I wanted to do it quickly. I thought I needed to put all my ideas out fast. After a couple of flops, I understood I had to go a little slow.” The ‘Little slow’ for him was ‘2-3 films a year’, he admits, a rate he maintained during his stint in Hindi films as well.
Bhooth Bangla is gearing up for release in April, and the 69-year-old admits to nerves. “Ahead of every film’s release, two days are gone in the stress and tension,” he says with a smile. The filmmaker says that his nerves before a release today are very similar to how they were 40 years ago. “Right from my first film, I feel just as tense for every film. Maybe that insecurity is keeping me going,” he says, signing off.
Priyadarshan’s return to Hindi cinema comes with a strong message: Bollywood needs to refocus on content. As he embarks on his 100th film, his words carry weight, urging a shift in priorities within the industry.
