Strange are the ways of Bollywood. At one end we complain that it’s so difficult to make films today because no one knows what really works. On the other hand when something as huge as Dhurandhar – The Revenge comes up which shakes the very core of filmmaking, there is deathly silence around its victory run.
Come on, we are not just talking about a superhit or a blockbuster here. We are not even talking about just big numbers. We aren’t hero worshipping the leading man or hailing the director as an ultimate showman. No, none of that is actually really the need of the hour. All of this will anyways come from the audiences who are paying in thousands of rupees to watch a four hour long movie.
What’s being expected in reality is something different from Bollywood bigwigs.
Acceptance of the cinematic experience.
Appreciation of the craft being put on screen.
Acknowledgment of crores that are spent in the making actually showing on screen.
It’s understandable that many may have questions around the politics of the film. A subject like this narrated in a format that uses real life references of various real life incidents and leadership decisions can polarise a substantial section of the industry. The whole hyper masculinity with ample dose of nationalism could also get the debates raging.
All of that is fine. However the fact that cannot be ignored is that appreciation is super huge from various segments of the audiences. Be it at big or small centers, multiplexes or single screen audiences – when it comes to neutral junta, there is no one who has actually come out and panned either of the two instalments.
However, barring a few filmmakers and actors who truly called out the film for the masterpiece that it is, there is just hollow silence all around. Ram Gopal Varma has been the staunchest supporter of the film, Akshay Kumar hailed it too soon after release, Madhur Bhandarkar went ballistic about the cinematic experience that it is, Karan Johar recently posted about the magic that Ranveer Singh has created, Sajid Nadiadwala found it enthralling, Maddock Films has been vocal too around its content and box office success while Alia Bhatt found it magical as well. There are a few others from Bollywood who have spoken up as well but by and large, most have just remained silent.
What remains to be seen is whether there would be a change in stance for most of the others who have chosen to stay mum, or at least the 1000 crores business that the film has done just in India bring in more acknowledgment, appreciation and agreement.
Hope it does, because for an industry which considers itself as “One Big Family”, it’s about time that words translate into actions as well.
