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Paresh Rawal Says Abusing Popular Movies is 'Fascism' Of Another Kind
Ahead of his next film 'The Storyteller', Paresh Rawal says that it is wrong to assume that Bollywood isn't doing good work as films of varied kinds are co-existing nowadays
"Don't hate what isn't for you," is the philosophy actor Paresh Rawal applies when it comes to viewing popular Hindi cinema. The actor, who has been in the industry for over four decades, says dictating what successful commercial cinema should be like and terming those films "ghatiya" (terrible) is a form of "fascism".
The 69-year-old cinema veteran, who has straddled the world of commercial as well as independent films, says that it is wrong to assume that Bollywood isn't doing good work as films of varied kinds are co-existing nowadays.
But the problem, he says, is the mindset of abusing "popular" cinema.
"There will be successful films which a section may call 'ghatiya (terrible)', but I believe that is unfair," Rawal tells The Hollywood Reporter India.
"Those films are successful because the audience likes them. Who are you to call their taste terrible? You can say what works or doesn't work for you, but how can you expect the same blanket taste for everyone? This is fascism of another kind," he adds.
Rawal, who is gearing up for the release of his Disney+ Hotstar film The Storyteller, feels the success of commercial cinema cannot be an excuse to not make "good films" if one doesn't find popular movies meritorious.
"It is an easy way out to dunk on popular cinema. For example, if a commercial film like Pathaan (2023) hits the screens and becomes a success, that isn't stopping you from making what you think constitutes as 'good cinema'. Please do it if you feel like it. What's the point of abusing films like Pathaan or Jawan (2023)? It is absolutely pointless."
Rawal says the state of Hindi films is "improving" and credits filmmaker Anurag Kashyap for changing the grammar of Bollywood.
"According to me, Anurag Kashyap is a big game-changer. Because of him, a new wave of writers, directors, and mind-blowing actors have come in. Today there's also OTT which has changed the mindset of producers as well as the audience. Who would have thought a film like Laapataa Ladies (could get made)?"
The actor says the two recent films that "blew" him away were Avinash Arun's Three of Us (2023) and Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Joram (2023), directed by Devashish Makhija.
"The two films were just mind-blowing. Going back in time slightly, there was Masaan in 2015. I am yet to see a screenplay like that again. That's a prime example of great cinema. Then there was also Piku (2015). Who could've thought one could tell a father-daughter story through constipation? After that lyrical ending, I actually called Shoojit Sircar because it was such a beautifully-written film, truly enchanting. So I'm fortunate to be working in films today," he concludes.
Directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, The Storyteller is inspired by Satyajit Ray’s acclaimed short story Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro. Also starring Adil Hussain, Revathy, and Tannishtha Chatterjee, the film will release on January 28.