Pallavi Joshi’s box office record is great this year. Among Hindi movies, The Kashmir Files has brought in the most money this year. In light of the box office failures of several major films starring bigger names, many have questioned what’s wrong with Hindi cinema. The legendary performer highlighted Bollywood’s flaws and her career in a recent interview.
The Kashmir Files grossed nearly 350 crores globally on a budget of 15 crores, thanks to word of mouth. The film, directed by Pallavi’s husband Vivek Agnihotri, focused on the flight of Kashmiri Pandits three decades ago. It beat Ranbir Kapoor’s Shamshera, Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, and Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj.
Pallavi is asked what Bollywood is doing wrong “I’m no Bollywood expert, so I don’t know what went wrong with Shamshera, Dobaaraa, etc. I know what helped our film succeed. I’ve always believed that the audience gets your point. When I lost focus, the audience didn’t respond as well. Worst days ever. Likewise with movies. People see your integrity on TV.”
According to Pallavi, The Kashmir Files was popular because it addressed real concerns that people want to see. Artists are taught to “reflect society,” she explains. So anti-establishment is okay. Raj Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, and Sunil Dutt’s films represent the times. The movie focused on India’s difficulties. Our films no longer show India’s problems. A disconnect results.”
The actor also addressed the recent ‘boycott Bollywood’ trend on social media, in which many have advocated for the boycotting of consecutive Hindi films, including Laal Singh Chaddha, Dobaara, Liger, and Brahmastra. “People should reflect. If a big movement is happening, everyone should reflect. Without them, we’re nothing. Offer what they want. As Pallavi puts it, “Give them the tales they want and watch the theatres fill up.”
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