Director Priyadarshan criticizes Bollywood’s tired ambient culture
Filmmaker Priyadarshan expressed concern over the growing entry culture in Bollywood. He is currently preparing for three new Hindi films, including Bhoot Bangla with Akshay Kumar.
Veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan has strongly criticized Bollywood’s “tedious” ambient culture. The director, who has spent over four decades in the film industry, recently said that the increasing number of people accompanying actors on the sets is making film production unnecessarily complicated.
In a recent interview with Hollywood Reporter IndiaPriyadarshan expressed disappointment that large groups were often seen around actors during shoots, claiming that many of them had no defined roles.
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He said, “I get tired of just seeing people around actors.” He said, “On one floor, if I’m working with three actors, I’ll see thirty people doing nothing and just standing. I can’t see my scenes through the camera because they block my view. I haven’t seen this anywhere else other than Bollywood.”
According to the filmmaker, this practice is a relatively recent trend that has gradually become common on Hindi film sets.
He said, “A lot of people come on the sets, and they do nothing and earn money. It’s tiring of me. I hate it. It’s the only thing I dislike about Bollywood.”
The issue has also sparked debate about the financial implications of large groups, as the costs associated with them are often borne by the producers, adding to already inflated film budgets.
Priyadarshan began his career in Malayalam cinema before making a successful transition to Hindi films in the 1990s. Over the years, he has directed many popular films in different languages and genres, and has earned a reputation as one of the most versatile filmmakers in the industry.
Currently the director is working on it ghost banglaA horror comedy starring Akshay Kumar, Tabu, Vamika Gabbi and Paresh Rawal, scheduled to release on April 10.
Apart from that project, Priyadarshan is collaborating with Akshay Kumar on two more films. This includes beastA thriller also starring Saif Ali Khan, and rigging 3The shooting of which is expected to begin in 2027 and will again star Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Sunil Shetty.