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Veteran actor Seema Pahwa, who has been a prominent part of the Hindi film industry for almost five decades, recently expressed concerns over the industry’s current state. She argued that the industry has become commercialised, with businessmen now at the helm, leaving little respect or acknowledgment for creative people. She also hinted at the possibility of quitting the film industry due to the lack of creative work.
In an interview with Bollywood Thikana, Seema shared her thoughts on the industry’s commercially driven nature. “Mujh lag raha hai bahi jaldi namaste karni padege film industry ki (I think I will have to say goodbye to the industry every soon). The condition is very bad of the industry and in a way they have murdered creative people in the industry. It has been completely taken over by businessmen. They want to keep this industry alive with their business mind. I don’t think, we who have worked for so many years in the industry, can sustain this mindset,” she told Bollywood Thikana.
Seema further expressed how the industry has sidelined artistic values. She also commented on how filmmakers prioritise casting stars to ensure their films generate profit. “I understand they want to earn money and that’s why maybe they don’t need people like us. They calls us purane log (old fashioned people) and tell us, ‘Your thought process is very old.’ They argue with us that an actor makes a film work. According to them only commercial things make a film work,” she said.
Seema went on to bash filmmakers for making Rs 100 crore commercial, formula films again and again despite them not been working at the box office. She also complained about OTT space being too commercial. “If you make good low budget films, at least 2 out of 5 will work. But they only want to stick to the same old formula that people are rejecting. OTT has its own issues. I have diverted myself to theatre,” Seema declared, admitting being happy to do work that she likes in theatre. “I don’t think we will get the respect that we deserve in films or the sort of work we deserve,” she said.
“I have given 55 years to the industry but if someone comes and says that someone’s 5 years of experience are weightier then you do get hurt. I am very hurt so I have chosen to move towards theatre and I am happy with the work I am doing,” she said, adding that talented young people are not getting work because Bollywood refuses to look beyond just numbers and formula.
On the work front, Seema will next be seen in Bhool Chuk Maaf, alongside Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi.
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