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It has been a long time since the Bollywood audience has accustomed itself to watching action films and those with alpha male heroes. From time to time, there may be exceptions that make you face reality but more often than not, they perform a fraction of how a commercial action film might.
Taapsee Pannu’s Assi falls into that very category. Many of her films, and those of multiple actresses, shed light on societal problems but the support of the audience is just as missing as it is needed.
Taapsee Pannu Believes Female-Led Films Are Going Extinct
Speaking with PTI during an interview, Taapsee Pannu talked about how important films like Assi may not be made as frequently as they used to be. Commercial films ask for the same kind of hero, so if a reflection of society is what the fans ask for, they should also support such movies when they come out.
“We are on the verge of becoming an extinct species. I mean films like Assi. There is a certain template that so-called commercial cinema follows, and we don’t conventionally fit into that template.”
She continued, “The reality is that people think these kinds of films will keep coming on OTT platforms, and we will keep watching them. But no, OTT platforms don’t want these kinds of films either. They have clear mandates that only films that work in theatres are the ones they want to pick. They want to bring the theatre audience to their platform. They already have a certain kind of audience, and now they want the massy, potboiler audience to subscribe. That’s why I say we are on the verge of becoming extinct unless people realise they need to watch these films. Sometimes it’s good to watch reality as well.”
Realistic Films Won’t Work on Streaming Platforms
The actress stressed on how OTT platforms are also more likely to support the kind of massy films that work in theatres. Such films become a tried and tested method of success and also ensure that the target audience, the bigger one that enjoys watching commercial films, also finds relatable content on the platforms.
“We should subscribe to all kinds of cinema. Only the audience can help us by going to theatres and watching all kinds of films. I hope they realise this before we lose it. Otherwise, we won’t have the right to complain that our cinema cannot compete with world cinema and that we only make one kind of film. A lot of people say we don’t make good, rooted stories. But when did you support rooted stories? Sitting at home and watching them on OTT is not how you support good cinema. If you like a film, spread the word and bring more people to theatres.”
It isn’t as though people, actresses and actors alike, don’t want to make films that represent the horrors of reality. The fact of the matter remains that even if such films were made, what is lacking is the actual support. The same audience that complains of oversaturation would not go to watch unique content.
Be it the mindsets of people or this desperate need to find escapism in movies, there would, at some point, be a need to face reality. Effort would have to be from both sides, from the directors, actors and producers; and also from the audiences. Word of mouth and marketing can only do so much.
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