29th March 2023, Mumbai: The controversial and politically charged film director and screenwriter Vivek Agnihotri recently came out in Priyanka Chopra’s defense after her open talk on the dark side of Bollywood went viral.
In an interview with a prestigious Australian magazine, Chopra said that the profession was replete with sexism, nepotism, and corruption and that she had encountered many difficulties and roadblocks during her career.
Agnihotri responded to Chopra’s allegations by calling the actress a “real-life” star and praising her courage and honesty for speaking up about the problems afflicting the entertainment business.
More evidence that “something is terribly wrong with Bollywood,” he claimed, citing Kangana Ranaut, another Bollywood actress who has spoken out against the difficulties in the business.
Agnihotri’s remarks are made at a time when the Indian film business is being heavily scrutinized and criticized for a number of things, including how women and outsiders are treated and how influential insiders are.
On social media, Chopra’s interview received a lot of attention and discussion, and many users praised her for being open and courageous in discussing the issues she had to deal with.
Some, on the other hand, accused Chopra of seeking to attract attention and sympathy by spreading Bollywood’s dirty laundry in public and criticized her for doing so.
Given that Agnihotri is known for being a divisive character in Indian politics and the media, his support for Chopra is likely to be viewed as a contentious decision. His previous films, which frequently address delicate and divisive subjects like nationalism, religion, and social justice, courted controversy.
Agnihotri has always advocated for free speech and artistic expression despite the criticism he has received in the past. He has also frequently criticized what he views as political correctness and media control in India.
It remains to be seen if Agnihotri’s remarks will lead to further discussion and debate about the issues affecting Bollywood or if they will be brushed aside as another instance of a divisive person seeking to incite controversy.
In any case, it is apparent that the problems the Indian film industry is dealing with will not go away anytime soon and that there is a rising need for more responsibility, transparency, and change among both insiders and outsiders.