Anil Kapoor on Bollywood films doing poorly at box office: ‘When films don’t work people say the industry will close down, but it won’t’

He said, “I have been working for so many years, my father (Surinder Kapoor) was also in this industry, so we’ve been here for around 60 years. Actors, directors, producers talking about films working and not working… yeh silsila toh kaafi saalo se chal raha hai (Such things keep happening). There are phases… for example for two years a particular type of films don’t work and people say industry bandh ho rahi hai (the industry is closing down). I myself have seen these phases five to six times in my career, but that doesn’t happen, it will never happen. It is just how every person sees ups and downs in their life, so it is the same with the business, there will be good and bad times.”

After the pandemic many Hindi films like Shahid Kapoor’s Jersey, Ajay Devgn and Siddhatrth Malhotra’s Thank God:, Tiger Shroff’s Heropanti 2, Ayushmann Khurrana’s An Action Hero, Ranveer SIngh’s Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Kangana Ranaut’s Dhaakad, Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt’s Shamshera have failed at the box office.

On this, Anil said that every time the industry goes through a rough patch, people should look at how they can do better and how the industry can evolve. “I take it (the dull phase) positively because during the Covid-19 pandemic people have taken the time to try and understand how to work harder, do better and make good films. Films that we’ll see now will be very good, the audience will like it. People learn a lot in such situations, and those who don’t, don’t survive. I think those who are sincere and honest with their work and know their job, who know their craft, for them there’s nothing to get scared about, they just have to keep working. Films will be made, if the films are good then the audience will come to watch it, they are watching good films,” Anil said.

The first part of The Night Manager was a mega success and it earned a lot of critical acclaim. Anil shared that he is loving this phase in his career and loving the OTT space. About he OTT revolution hit India, Anil said, “The first time I did something like this was so many years ago, but that time it (24) was broadcast on television. So whether it is OTT or big screen films, I have seen them as opportunities I haven’t see them in terms of the platform. What is important for me while considering a project is to see who is my director and writer and are they and my audience happy with my work.”

“The advent of OTT is like the renaissance, it is the best time for all of us. The kind of work that is coming to us is great, there’s a lot of work cooking to us as well. With OTT, the one thing that is different is that when do big shows we get more opportunity to play the character because of the way the story is written, it is in much more detail and we get more time, it is better storytelling and it is great fun. There have been times when I have had more fun working on this show than I have had while working on films. At least for me, if I join 24 and The Night Manager have done better, much more than my films have done. Other than that it is all the same for me, I love going to work, I love being on set, I love entertaining people. I hope I get to work for ten more years,” Anil concluded.