Mumbai, There are about ten viable actors in Hindi cinema and they ask for 'sun, moon and earth' and are paid that amount, says filmmaker Karan Johar, who believes the industry is going through a creative crisis.
In an interview with journalist Faye D'Souza for her YouTube channel, the producer spoke at length about what ails the Hindi film industry, which had a dismal six months at the box office.
"Right now, the industry is in a creative crisis. We're going through a situation where we have to... We're managing the crowds, versus reality versus star pay versus studios collapsing on our end and there's a lot of drama happening in our business, which, I think, we have to take stock of," Johar said, dismissing stories of being an all-powerful producer who makes or breaks careers. The "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani'' director said he doesn't He is neither the professor nor the "flagbearer" of nepotism, as he is presented in a certain segment of the media, he is just trying to keep him company, which is working well, remains sustainable in these difficult times.
Asked what could have led to this crisis in the film industry, the filmmaker said that it has to do with many factors, mainly the change in public taste, which has become "definitive."
"...They want a certain type of cinema and if you want to do a certain type of number, then your film has to, I will say technically, play in centers A, B and C. Only the multiplexes will win." It is not enough," he claimed. There has been a lot of debate over the money charged by some of the big stars after the box office debacle of "Bade Miyan Chote Miyan", "Maidaan" and other big releases.
Johar, who has already spoken about the money demanded by stars in the past, once again highlighted the issue that is currently at the center of the debate in the film business.
"...The cost of film making has gone up. There has been inflation and then star salaries... There are around 10 viable actors in Hindi cinema and they are all asking for sun, moon and earth and you are paying them. and then you pay for the film, the marketing expenses and then your films don't measure up "Those movie stars ask for 35 crores and open at 3.5 crores. How does that math work? How do you manage all that and still have to keep making films and creating content because you also have to feed your organization?The filmmaker, known for blockbusters like "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" and "Student of the year," he said everyone is running around like "headless chickens" because it's hard to see what's working. the box office and what not.
"There is a lot of drama and the syntax of our cinema has not found its place. In the case of Hindi cinema, there has been a certain kind of syntax in every decade. Right now we are thinking, 'If 'Jawan' and 'Pathaan' worked, did they work? should we just do action?' Then everyone runs that way and suddenly a love story would work," he said.
"...The conviction has taken a hard blow, and it is a herd mentality. We have not realized that there is now a certain audience that wants a rooted Indian cinema and, without the pressure of what the critics have What to say, pure joy," he said. According to Johar, the public does not want an "alienating" cinema that deals with urban syntax and makes second-tier cities or small towns feel alienated. Urban cinema can be made, but at a certain price, otherwise it will not cover the numbers.
The filmmaker believes that directors of his time, who have grown up thanks to a certain type of cinema, do not understand the "need of the heart of India."
"They don't know because they have never seen those films in theatres. They have grown up with Internet content where everything is aspirational or Hollywood cinema. But some of those films just don't work in India," he said. When asked if some self-censorship had been established among filmmakers, Johar said that now everyone has a legal department and that the scripts in his company first go through internal legal censorship before deciding to produce them.
"It's not just that we're afraid. We don't want the stress and pressure of fighting cases in court. You're spending your time and energy on something you can do without. Are we saying... Yes, we have We still tell brave stories. Are we still doing what we want to do? Yes, but there are some things you have to be careful about..."
In an interview with journalist Faye D'Souza for her YouTube channel, the producer spoke at length about what ails the Hindi film industry, which had a dismal six months at the box office.
"Right now, the industry is in a creative crisis. We're going through a situation where we have to... We're managing the crowds, versus reality versus star pay versus studios collapsing on our end and there's a lot of drama happening in our business, which, I think, we have to take stock of," Johar said, dismissing stories of being an all-powerful producer who makes or breaks careers. The "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani'' director said he doesn't He is neither the professor nor the "flagbearer" of nepotism, as he is presented in a certain segment of the media, he is just trying to keep him company, which is working well, remains sustainable in these difficult times.
Asked what could have led to this crisis in the film industry, the filmmaker said that it has to do with many factors, mainly the change in public taste, which has become "definitive."
"...They want a certain type of cinema and if you want to do a certain type of number, then your film has to, I will say technically, play in centers A, B and C. Only the multiplexes will win." It is not enough," he claimed. There has been a lot of debate over the money charged by some of the big stars after the box office debacle of "Bade Miyan Chote Miyan", "Maidaan" and other big releases.
Johar, who has already spoken about the money demanded by stars in the past, once again highlighted the issue that is currently at the center of the debate in the film business.
"...The cost of film making has gone up. There has been inflation and then star salaries... There are around 10 viable actors in Hindi cinema and they are all asking for sun, moon and earth and you are paying them. and then you pay for the film, the marketing expenses and then your films don't measure up "Those movie stars ask for 35 crores and open at 3.5 crores. How does that math work? How do you manage all that and still have to keep making films and creating content because you also have to feed your organization?The filmmaker, known for blockbusters like "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" and "Student of the year," he said everyone is running around like "headless chickens" because it's hard to see what's working. the box office and what not.
"There is a lot of drama and the syntax of our cinema has not found its place. In the case of Hindi cinema, there has been a certain kind of syntax in every decade. Right now we are thinking, 'If 'Jawan' and 'Pathaan' worked, did they work? should we just do action?' Then everyone runs that way and suddenly a love story would work," he said.
"...The conviction has taken a hard blow, and it is a herd mentality. We have not realized that there is now a certain audience that wants a rooted Indian cinema and, without the pressure of what the critics have What to say, pure joy," he said. According to Johar, the public does not want an "alienating" cinema that deals with urban syntax and makes second-tier cities or small towns feel alienated. Urban cinema can be made, but at a certain price, otherwise it will not cover the numbers.
The filmmaker believes that directors of his time, who have grown up thanks to a certain type of cinema, do not understand the "need of the heart of India."
"They don't know because they have never seen those films in theatres. They have grown up with Internet content where everything is aspirational or Hollywood cinema. But some of those films just don't work in India," he said. When asked if some self-censorship had been established among filmmakers, Johar said that now everyone has a legal department and that the scripts in his company first go through internal legal censorship before deciding to produce them.
"It's not just that we're afraid. We don't want the stress and pressure of fighting cases in court. You're spending your time and energy on something you can do without. Are we saying... Yes, we have We still tell brave stories. Are we still doing what we want to do? Yes, but there are some things you have to be careful about..."
