Pankaj Tripathi says Indian films are global now as they go more local: 'Pehle writers Mumbai se Bharat ko samajhte the'
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
The last few years have seen Indian films travel across borders to be feted at various movie festivals and award shows around the world, and in some cases, even break the bank at foreign box offices beyond the diaspora. Be it mainstream offerings like RRR or Kill, or independent films like All We Imagine as Light or Songs of Forgotten Trees, Indian films are winning hearts worldwide. Star Pankaj Tripathi , who has seen his fair share of cinema over the years, believes this shift is because of Indian writers and filmmakers returning to their roots.
Adding to this, Pankaj Tripathi reflects on Indian cinema's increasing global appeal. In a candid chat with Hindustan Times, the star reflects on how Indian cinema is going back to its core strength of focusing on what is local and cultural, something that Western audiences want to see.
Meanwhile, “The core value of Indian emotion is empathy,” says the two-time National Award winner. “And then, our culture has so many festivals, across states and regions. So, when one incorporates that in stories, our culture, our emotions in an authentic manner, then that becomes global. That is the strength of Indian stories.”
Notably, Pankaj talks about the time when Indian films became too multiplex-oriented and catered largely for urban audiences, as the time when Indian cinema lost that global appeal. “There was a time when our stories became a little too urban. Jab waise writer the jo Mumbai mein baith ke Bharat ko samajhte the (we had writers who understood India sitting in Mumbai),” he adds.
As per the latest buzz, But he attributes the change seen today to filmmakers who came to Mumbai from smaller towns, bringing their worldviews and understanding with them. “Now, time has changed. Bhilai se Anurag Basu aa gaye, Jamshedpur se Imtiaz Ali aa gaye aur Allahabad se Tigmanshu Dhulia aa gaye. These people have come after understanding literature and culture and after seeing the world,” he adds.
In further updates, Pankaj is appearing in an experimental movie, Ohh My Dog, releasing this week. The movie features a dog as the protagonist, with Pankaj and other veteran actors appearing in supporting roles. Talking about the movie, he says, “There are people who don’t like dogs or animals. The issue is that they fear them. But once you get to understand the animal, the fear will leave your body. So, I hope that when people watch this movie, they develop some empathy for pets and animals. These creatures have been living with us for thousands of years. Just understand them, and 99% of the problems will end.”
On top of that, Directed by Amit Rai, Ohh My Dog releases in theatres on August 7. Pankaj Tripathi will then reprise his role as Akhandanand Tripathi in Mirzapur , the movie, a prequel spinoff to the successful Prime Video series. The movie releases in theatres in September.
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Movie Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times