Low-budget films influenced by Bollywood’s ‘star system’: Taapsee Pannu

Taapsee Pannu talks about how low-budget films are influenced by the ‘star system’ in Bollywood. The actor, who made his debut as a producer with the just-released film Dhak Dhak, criticized the blatant hypocrisy in the film industry in an interview with a leading media outlet. Even before people hear a line about a movie, she said, she wants to know “who the hero is.”

“The myths I had about people who believe that ‘content is king’ were shattered during the making of this film. There’s too much hypocrisy. They listen to one line of your story and… You’ll immediately ask, “Who is the main character in this movie?” It determines your financial and emotional investment in the project. As an actor, when I signed a film, I never asked who my co-stars were or how big the makers were. “I worked with a lot of first-time directors and new co-stars, and I don’t know how other people see it,” she said.

The actor believes that ultimately it all comes down to the ‘star system’, which still exists despite the advent of OTT.

“Everyone involved is to blame for this culture. That includes the actors, the studios, the audience, and everyone else. It’s a cycle. There is little interest in properly packaging and releasing the film, just because they are recouping it (by selling it). This is detrimental to the growth of the industry as only the big players will be available. How will the rest get a chance? It will only widen the gulf between actors and stars. We keep saying that Bollywood is not trying to do anything meaningful, but if we do it… Even if we try, there is little support and this has to change,” she added.