R Balki Calls Recent Bollywood Blockbusters ‘Damn Boring’: Acclaimed filmmaker R Balki, known for his unique storytelling in films like Paa and Pad Man, recently shared his candid thoughts on the state of Bollywood. During a chat with MIT World Peace University, Balki criticized a few Bollywood blockbusters from the last four to five years, calling them “damn boring” and far removed from the charm of 1970s masala films. Also Read | Swara Bhasker Slams Trolls Over Post-Marriage Wardrobe
What Balki Said
Reflecting on the quality of recent hits, Balki remarked, “A few blockbusters that have happened in the last four or five years, or whatever, have actually been the worst films. Not only from an intellectual or artistic point of view but also from the old entertainment, ‘masala, paisa vasool’ kind of a feel. Also, they’re damn boring. The fun has completely gone from our blockbusters.”
The director compared today’s movies to the iconic works of Manmohan Desai in the 1970s. Recalling classics like Amar Akbar Anthony and Naseeb, which he revisited during an Amitabh Bachchan film festival in 2022, Balki shared that those films delivered pure joy and entertainment.
On the Influence of Marketing
Balki didn’t shy away from commenting on the marketing-driven approach dominating the industry. He explained, “It’s become like a project. There’s an economics associated with that stuff. They want to recover this, they’re putting this money, they’re pumping the marketing out. It’s marketing, basically. It’s just driving people towards believing something is good. By the time people believe it’s bad, the film has made its money.”
Balki’s Journey in Bollywood
R Balki debuted in Bollywood with the Amitabh-Tabu starrer Cheeni Kum (2007) and followed it with critically acclaimed projects like Paa (2009), Pad Man (2018), and Chup: Revenge of the Artist (2022). His latest film Ghoomer, featuring Saiyami Kher and Abhishek Bachchan, explored a unique sports-drama narrative but faced tough competition at the box office.
Ghoomer vs. Gadar 2
Talking about Ghoomer’s underwhelming performance, Balki admitted it was overshadowed by the overwhelming success of Gadar 2. “It didn’t get sandwiched, it got smashed! We had no other date. Had we come along with Gadar 2, we may have been better off. Because Gadar 2 did better in the second week. Nobody expected this kind of a thing. We thought everyone will do well and we can have the second week. This kind of tsunami was not expected,” Balki told The Indian Express.
While Balki’s sharp observations about Bollywood’s current state might stir debate, they also highlight the longing for a return to the magic of true masala cinema.
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