Mumbai, September 5 (IANS) Filmmaker Priyadarshan opened up about the changing nature of stardom and recalled the larger-than-life aura once associated with actors such as Amitabh Bachchan.
The ace filmmaker recalled how, as a young film enthusiast, he would go to extraordinary lengths just to catch a glimpse of the superstar on the big screen.
In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Priyadarshan recalled his experience of trying to get a ticket for the first-day show of Kasauti, saying the memory remains etched in his mind.
“I have a big scar even now from trying to get a ticket for Kasauti on the first day. And for me, Amitabh Bachchan was God, he still is,” Priyadarshan said.
The filmmaker added that his admiration and respect for the superstar remain unchanged even today, but pointed out how difficult it has become for audiences to experience the kind of mystique that surrounded stars in an earlier era.
“Now every star is there at every corner. You can see an actor moving around casually, but there was an aura about those actors whom you wanted to see back then and didn’t know anything about,” he said.
He added, “Back then when you wanted to see a movie, you were not going to see the film, you were going to see the actor in those days. And because you were in awe of that actor or actress and the curiosity around them, you got captivated by their aura,” he said.
According to the filmmaker, the changing pace of life has also altered audience expectations.
“As time goes, the pace of life is increasing very fast. So people don’t have the patience like they did in those days. They say that a film should be now made for two hours and not more” Priyadarshan said.
On the contrary, he also pointed to Dhurandhar and its blockbuster performance, he said such examples challenge the theory that audiences have completely lost the patience to sit through longer films.
“When you see a film like Dhurandhar becoming a blockbuster, these theories don’t work.
He further said, “People don’t have enough time to watch, so they started watching Shorts on YouTube. But that is there because they are killing boredom,” he said.
“When they come into the theatre, we bring them to a world where they forget that they exist. This is the magic of cinema. They just forget about everything they do,” Priyadarshan said.
Meanwhile, Priyadarshan is gearing up for the release of his upcoming thriller Haiwaan, starring Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher. The film is slated to release in theatres on September 11.
It marks Akshay and Saif’s reunion on the big screen after 18 years, with the two actors having previously shared screen space in films including Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Yeh Dillagi, Tu Chor Main Sipahi and Keemat, before their last collaboration, Tashan. Haiwaan also marks Saif’s first collaboration with Priyadarshan.
–IANS
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