BOLLYWOOD IS OUT TO BREAK TABOOS
The Hindi film industry is witnessing films that are tearing through the hush-hush subjects of Indian society. But are audiences ready for it?
Bollywood is changing for the better when it comes to breaking taboos in an entertaining way. Several upcoming mainstream films have taken up subjects that Indian society still can’t talk about openly. These range from open defecation (Toilet: Ek Prem Katha), menstrual hygiene (Padman) and erectile dysfunction (Shubh Mangal Saavdhan) to vasectomy (Poster Boys). This year’s June release, Phullu, was based on the need for low-cost sanitary napkins.
Gauri Shinde, the director of last year’s Dear Zindagi, which dealt with depression, says that the Indian audience was always ready for such subjects. “Though we’ve been ready for a long time now, not many film-makers were willing to risk it due to fear of box-office [failure].”
Now, with A-listers such as Akshay Kumar and Ayushmann Khurrana starring in such films, messages that film-makers intend to convey are being accepted more easily. Shree Narayan Singh, director of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, agrees. “I can talk as much as I want about this crucial issue, but if I’m alone, it might take years to make myself heard,” says Singh. “But if a [star] like Akshay Kumar says it in a film, the reach increases a lot.”
TradeTrade expertexpert AtulAtul MohanMohan feels multiplexes can be thanked for the demand for such subjects. He says, “How long can we serve the viewers with traditional romance and action? People want to explore more. Business today is highly dependent on multiplexes, and realistic subjects are the need of the hour.”
Film-maker Aanand L Rai, who produced the film Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, says that the reason he chose the taboo subject of erectile dysfunction, was to break the notion that the Indian middle-class is conservative. “I belong to a very middle-class family, and I feel it’s my responsibility that I should project the change,” says Rai. “I wanted to make a family film that would bring the issue to the fore.” He insists that he isn’t bothered by box-office numbers. “The first thing I look at is which number I’m safe at, and that number is very small. The only question that matters to me is: am I entertaining you?”
You need big stars to drive subjects that are new; you can never undermine star power. GAURI SHINDE, FILM-MAKER