R. Balki Discusses the Changing Landscape of Bollywood Cinema

Renowned filmmaker R. Balki, a National Award-winning director, shared his critical views on the state of contemporary Indian cinema during a fireside chat at MIT World Peace University in Pune. Balki, known for films such as Paa, Pad Man, and Cheeni Kum, discussed the growing trend of blockbuster films in India and their diminishing quality in terms of both intellectual appeal and entertainment value.

Reflecting on the last four to five years of cinema, Balki remarked, "Few blockbusters that have happened in the last four or five years have actually been the worst films. They are boring, not only from an intellectual or artistic perspective, but also in terms of traditional 'masala' and entertainment." He contrasted recent films with iconic works of the past, such as those by director Manmohan Desai, citing Amar Akbar Anthony and Naseeb as examples of films that brought immense joy and entertainment to audiences.

Balki also critiqued the industry's reliance on marketing to generate box-office success, suggesting that the focus has shifted from creating compelling films to creating marketable "projects." "Movies have become like projects. It's about marketing; they push a narrative that convinces people something is good. By the time the audience realises otherwise, the film has already made its money," he stated.

He further explored the psychology of moviegoers, explaining how audiences sometimes downplay their dissatisfaction with films. "People don't want to admit they’ve watched a bad film. They want to find one or two good things to say about it, even if it's just ‘time pass’," he explained.

Addressing the broader shift in audience interests, Balki pointed out that the sheer volume of content now available on digital platforms has diluted the cinema experience. "The interest in cinema isn’t what it used to be. People aren’t as committed to watching a film from start to finish. With so much content available, they quickly switch off if they aren’t engaged within the first few minutes," he said.

In closing, Balki encouraged filmmaking students to explore new and original ideas in their work. "Keep surprising yourself and crafting stories that haven’t been explored before. That’s how you keep the audience engaged," he advised.