Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is known for his unfiltered
honesty, and his recent comments about the state of Hindi cinema
have sparked a major discussion. As he promotes his upcoming film Sikandar,
Salman did not hold back while addressing why Bollywood films are failing at
the box office.
Salman Khan on Bollywood’s ‘Dull Phase’
In a recent press meet, Salman Khan was asked about the struggles
of Hindi films in recent years. Instead of sugarcoating his answer, the
actor bluntly admitted:
"Jab itni gandi pictures banengi to flop to hongi
hi. Jab banti hi gandi films hain, including my own. If it doesn’t work, it’s a
bad film. If it works, it’s a very good film."
(Translation: If bad films are made, they will
flop. If all films are bad, including mine, they will fail. If a film works,
it’s good. If it doesn’t, it’s bad.)
Salman’s statement reflects his self-awareness. His
2023 release, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, was a box office failure
despite his massive fan following. He acknowledged that ultimately, the responsibility
of success or failure falls on the star.
"The star is the one who is seen on the poster, in
the theatre. The blame would be on him too if the films don’t work,"
he said.
What’s Wrong with Bollywood?
According to Salman, Bollywood is struggling because
filmmakers are not making movies for the audience anymore. Instead, they
are competing with each other. He explained:
"They are writing for themselves right now. They are
competing with directors. Producers are competing with other producers.
Everyone wants to show the other person how a movie is made. No, you have to
make a film for the audience. You have to write it in such a way that you are
sitting in the front row and enjoying it."
He criticized filmmakers who assume that the audience is not
intelligent enough to understand films. He believes that spoonfeeding
ruins storytelling and that today’s audience, with access to global content via
OTT platforms, is far ahead in terms of expectations.
Bollywood’s Wrong Priorities
Salman also shared a valuable piece of advice from his
father, Salim Khan, one of Bollywood’s greatest screenwriters.
"Our directors and producers are making films for
the wrong reasons. My father told me this the other day. Today, films are made
when they have actors’ dates, or the heroine is getting married, or they have
funding. A film should only be made once you have the best script ever. Nothing
else."
This highlights how Bollywood sometimes prioritizes
logistics over storytelling, leading to mediocre films that fail to
connect with the audience.
Is There Hope for Bollywood?
Despite his harsh criticism, Salman ended the
discussion on a hopeful note. He pointed out that even though Bollywood
is struggling, films remain the most popular form of entertainment in
India.
"Movies, whether good or bad, are still the
most-watched form of entertainment in the country. Sure, people can go out to a
nightclub, but how many people do that? Most sit at home and watch films."
This optimism suggests that while Bollywood is going
through a rough patch, there is still a huge market for great films—if
filmmakers focus on quality storytelling.
Sikandar: Salman’s Next Big Release
Salman Khan is set to return to the big screen with Sikandar,
an action-packed thriller directed by A.R. Murugadoss. The film,
also starring Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, and Sharman
Joshi, is scheduled for release on March 30, coinciding with Eid.
With Sikandar, Salman hopes to deliver the kind of entertaining,
audience-first cinema he has always advocated for. Whether the film will be
a blockbuster or another disappointment remains to be seen, but one
thing is certain—Salman Khan is not afraid to speak his mind.