The Fault in Our... Go figure!

Radhika Bhirani

rbhirani@gmail.com

"THE CYCLE CONTINUES". Vidyut Jammwal said it as succinctly as one could, and as bluntly as one should.

Days after the media churned news, views and interviews about lost opportunities, the lack of a level playing field, the star system, the bias, the discrimination, the coteries, the benefit of access and visibility and all of the muck that goes behind the scenes, in the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput's death, here we are, once again, looking at how nothing changes. How the world of showbiz will continue to rotate around and be dictated by the 'stars'.

The launch of Disney+ Hotstar's revolutionaly Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex, aimed to cater to the changing ways of how hundreds of millions of Indians watch movies, saw head honcho Uday Shankar unveil an exciting line-up of seven films set for direct release on the platform.

Seven films. But only four representatives - Akshay Kumar (Laxmmi Bomb), Ajay Devgn (Bhuj - The Pride of India), Alia Bhatt (Sadak 2) and Abhishek Bachchan (The Big Bull), in a panel announcing the big news. And a Varun Dhawan to moderate the chat.

Ironically, the late Sushant's much-awaited Dil Bechara is also a part of the bouquet, and the first to release on July 24. But there was no sign of his co-actor Sanjana Sanghi.

There's also Vidyut Jammwal's Khuda Haafiz and Kunal Kemmu-starrer Lootcase that are up for direct release. But their absence -- even from the promotional graphic of the launch -- was conspicuous.

After each actor flaunted posters of their respective films and gave a peek into the narratives, Uday Shankar summed up, "These are great films, we have a few more of them, like there's Lootcase and Khuda Haafiz. But rather than talk about them individually, let's see a clip."

Why didn't they get an opportunity to talk about their films  or be there? 

Instead, there was Varun talking about a "funny story" about how since Kunal and he used to work out at the same gym, there's a lot he knows about Lootcase and has heard what the story is. 

"I've been a fan of Kunal Kemmu since his childhood, since Raja Hindustani. I keep telling him he's one actor that has always inspired me with his movies," he said.

Coming to Vidyut and Khuda Hafiz, Varun said, "There's no one like Vidyut Jammwal in our country, anyone who can do what he does. He is a tremendous talent and his art, dedication... I want to take this time to say I am a huge fan. A lot of people are."

Then why not have them on the panel?

Surely, it must've hurt. Of course, it did.

Before the live video chat took off, Vidyut tweeted and questioned how only few of the films were "deemed worthy of representation".

"Two films receive no invitation or intimation. It’s a long road ahead. THE CYCLE CONTINUES," he wrote.

Even Kunal wrote a rather emotional post: "Izzat aur pyaar maanga nahi kamaya jaata hai. Koi na de toh usse hum chhote nahi hote. Bas maidaan khelne ke liye barabar de do chhalaang hum bhi oonchi laga sakte hai."

At one level, it makes me glad that the actors made it known instead of dismissing and submerging what hurt. Because unless the lack of consciousness among those who perpetrate the culture, is pointed out, the hope for change will keep dying a silent death, every day.

Their posts attracted a volley of reactions wherein people outlined the system of subservience that exists within the industry, where stars are continually put on a pedestal, where business counts above all else, and where suppressing talent is sadly becoming rampant.

One Twitter user wondered whether Sushant would have been a part of the panel had he been alive today. Makes us wonder too.

Another interesting reaction was by exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi, who wrote, "I always believed that cinema is a writer's/director’s medium. Wish they had shown the courtesy of at least mentioning their names if not having them over for the announcement."

It has been a long-drawn debate, about being a star-driven and actor-driven industry, where directors and writers are mostly relegated to the behind the scenes work. We can strive to change bit by bit, but let's not forget to give due credit at least, please.

What adds to the disappointment is the fact that this is what's happening on a medium that promised us democratisation of content creation and of talent.

Streaming platforms offered a ray of hope to the smaller fish in the big Bollywood sea. But slowly and steadily, they are allowing themselves to be subsumed by the very system they set out to be an alternative to.

Where's the fault... in our stars, the system, or in the so-called audience choice that drives it all? The blame game may continue, please.