Three days after actor Naseeruddin Shah bemoaned the overwhelming response to Hindu-centric films such as ‘The Kashmir Files’ and ‘The Kerala Story,’ Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s ex-wife Kiran Rao went on a similar rant. Speaking to Film Companion, the filmmaker said that she feels hurt when films with ‘regressive messaging’ are raking in money at the box office.
Kiran Rao is currently in Toronto, Canada for the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where her directorial film Laapataa Ladies was screened. Kiran Rao’s particular rant can be heard at around 16 minutes into the interview.
Without naming any film or filmmaker in particular she said, “I suppose all filmmakers set out to make good films, the intention is often great. But so much has changed in terms of the market. The audience now has so many more options and you are reaching for all kinds of attention when you’re making a film. So I suppose, when it is a really regressive sort of messaging, and it makes hundreds of crores, it hurts. Because you had the opportunity and you could have pushed the needle in some direction and you didn’t. So those are the things that sometimes bother me.”
“Having said that, every filmmaker has their goals and they are going to do what they do. But it would be really nice if the big films, the kind that audiences love and earn lots at the box office, were also doing some of that important work for us. Building our society in a more positive way, not stereotyping people, in fact breaking some of those regressive ideas down or in some way opening up those conversations. I am not saying that all big films are not good but it would be great if we had more success of films that have better messaging. Having said that, films are not necessarily for social change,” she added.
Talking about her relationship with her ex-husband Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao said, “Aamir is the producer of my film. I have a wonderful relationship with him. Both my family and Aamir have supported me.”
Khan’s ex-wife Kiran Rao suggested leaving India
It may be recalled that in 2015, speaking on alleged increasing intolerance in the country, Aamir Khan claimed his ex-wife Kiran Rao had suggested leaving India as she felt unsafe in the country. Six years later, in 2021, the couple had announced divorce.
Naseeruddin Shah laments box office success of ‘The Kashmir Files’, and ‘The Kerala Story’
Interestingly, only three days prior to Kiran Rao’s remark, the film industry veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah had also cried foul over the overwhelming response of the audience to Hindu-centric movies such as ‘The Kashmir Files’ and ‘The Kerala Story.’
While speaking to Free Press Journal on September 11, Monday, he claimed, “Now the more jingoist you are the more popular you become, because this is what has been ruling this country. It’s not enough to love your country but beat drums about it and you have to create imaginary enemies.”
“What these people don’t realise is that what they are doing is very harmful. In fact, films like Kerala Story and Gadar 2, I haven’t seen, but I know what they are about, it’s disturbing that films like Kashmir Files are so massively popular…” Naseeruddin Shah lamented.
“So regressive is a pretty mild word for what’s going on, it’s frightening that filmmakers are being coopted into making films which praise all the wrong things and run down other communities for no reason at all. It’s a dangerous trend,” he brazened it out.
