Filmmaker Karan Johar has raised concerns about what he sees as Bollywood’s growing herd mentality, questioning why actors are increasingly keen to involve themselves in every aspect of filmmaking instead of focusing on their performances.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the filmmaker said he has encountered actors who want to have a say in casting, budgets and promotional campaigns, and are more concerned about box-office trends than the characters they are playing.
Karan is currently awaiting the release of his upcoming series, Student of the Year: After Dark. Backed by Dharma Productions, the series stars Shanaya Kapoor in a double role, alongside Divik Sharma, Manya Grover and Mannat Duggal, among others. Directed by Reema Maya, the series is set to premiere on JioHotstar on November 13.
Because they were not aggressive, alpha or dominant enough, he revealed that he had encountered lead actors questioning their characters during narrations. Because i want to make money off a bad film, will I make a tacky-looking film. Because of their experience and understanding of the craft, but was not in favour of interference from younger actors, karan added that he valued the opinions of actors such as Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.
Citing Shah Rukh Khan’s character in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge as an example, Karan pointed out that Raj was a gentle and passive romantic hero, proving that a successful leading man need not always be aggressive or dominant. He acknowledged the success of films such as Kabir Singh, Animal and Dhurandhar, which feature more aggressive male protagonists, but also highlighted the success of Saiyaara, which had an empathetic romantic hero. Karan then questioned why actors were chasing a particular kind of protagonist and asking questions that had little to do with their performances. What does that mean? Rooted in what? I hope it’s rooted in a great script. I hope it’s rooted in great content. We are making a Hindi-language film or an Indian film which is rooted in the language and the syntax of our cinema. Isn’t that enough? I’m being asked, ‘What is your VFX budget? How is that your problem? No, I’ll obviously do my best. He added that he was surprised to see actors wanting to be involved in every aspect of filmmaking, from casting and box-office predictions to promotional campaigns, instead of concentrating on their acting. Maybe it’s vulnerabilities, but I’m reading them as insecurities. I’m surprised and shocked that they want to do everything but act. They want to become box-office gurus, trade analysts, perception setters, campaign makers, trailer cutters and poster makers. When are you acting exactly?
When asked if he was worried about the way the film industry was functioning, Karan said he was more concerned about the herd mentality among artists. He said many actors no longer follow their instincts as they once did, choosing instead to conform to what they believe will work at the box office. He said, “I’ve had actors ask me if the film has anything deeply rooted. He said, “I’m flummoxed with people’s insecurities. The filmmaker also admitted that directors and producers were “deeply complicit in the creation of this monstrosity” by giving in to actors’ demands to avoid stressful situations and ensure smoother working conditions on sets.
