Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has given a befitting reply to critics who call his films “propaganda” (agenda based). In an exclusive interview, the actor clarified that he no longer pays any attention to such allegations, because the love of the audience and the earnings of the films at the box office themselves refute all the claims. Citing the success of his recent blockbuster film ‘Dhurandhar’, he has called it a big slap on the face of critics.
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In an exclusive interview with India Today, the actor cited the box office success of Dhurandhar and said that such claims become meaningless when the audience loves a film. He also said that its reported revenue of Rs 1,000 crore speaks for itself. Talking about the criticism he has been facing regarding some of his recent films, Kher said that he no longer pays attention to people who call them propaganda.
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The 71-year-old actor said, “I have stopped reacting to people who call things propaganda. They are the biggest frauds in the world. They are people who will talk about poverty in India while drinking champagne in a five-star hotel. So, I don’t care about them.” Kher pointed out that films like The Kashmir Files and Dhurandhar have also been described as propaganda, but said that their commercial success speaks for itself.
he adds “The problem with these people is that they don’t know what to do with me. And I am not a crusader at all. I like people. They called The Kashmir Files propaganda, blatant propaganda. Everybody is being slapped, doing a business of Rs 1000 crore. Then when the business does, they say they did not return some of the money.”
Explaining why he does not agree with this label, Kher said that if propaganda alone guaranteed success, every film that supposedly had an agenda would become a blockbuster. “If we can make a film on dacoits, it can be a superhit, it can’t have an agenda. If that’s the logic, then Vivek Oberoi’s biopic on PM Modi should have been a superhit. (If we can make a film on dacoits and it becomes a blockbuster, then no one calls it a film with an agenda. By that logic, Vivek Oberoi’s biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also have been a superhit. But people don’t know that Didn’t like it. If that was the case, every film made by a top director or producer would have been a blockbuster. If that alone would have guaranteed success, everyone would have started making so-called propaganda films,” he told us.
“By this logic, every film made by a top director and producer would be a super-duper hit. If that’s what you get, then everyone will make propaganda films,” he added.
The Khosla Ka Khosla actor concluded by saying that the audience connects with emotions rather than ideology, and added that the success of a film ultimately depends on whether the audience likes it or not.
on work front
Anupam Kher will be next seen in Shri Ram Bhoomi. The project is directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, who recently directed The Kerala Story 2. The film also stars Ritwik Bhowmik and Amrita Khanvilkar. It is being supported by Anuya Chauhan Kudecha, Ritesh Kudecha, Umesh Kumar Bansal, Raidita, Akash Shah, Pranay Chokshi, Kalapi Shah, Kranti Shanbaug, Girish Johar and Meet Mojo. He also has Khosla Ka Khosla 2.