Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma accused Indian directors of underestimating the intelligence of their audience and treating them as “idiots”. He asserted that when Hollywood’s top talents come together, they make a great film like Oppenheimer. But when Indian cinema’s top talents come together, they make Thugs of Hindostan.

Speaking to Galata Plus, Varma spoke about Hollywood filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood who continue to make films beyond their age. “When you talk about Scorsese or Clint Eastwood, the kind of realism and effectiveness… they take up (interesting) subjects and give great performances. More than anything, it is their personal perspective that reflects in their films,” Varma said.

Drawing similarities with Indian filmmakers, Varma said, “First of all, we don’t make such films. We think the audience is stupid. Basically, the kind of cinema they make, and the standard there… imagine what the standard is here. All the big (Hollywood) stars come together and make Oppenheimer. And here, all the big stars come together, and they make Thugs of Hindostan.”

Thugs of Hindostan, released in 2018, was backed by some of Bollywood’s biggest names like Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. The period action drama was written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya. It bombed at the box office and was panned by film critics.

However, Ram Gopal Varma praised Aamir Khan for choosing films that appeal to different audiences at the same time. The filmmaker said, “He can make films like Ghajini and Tare Zameen Par at the same time. He has a great understanding.” He also praised Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who directed Kabir Singh and Animal, for making films that were not made before.

Ram Gopal Varma worked with Aamir Khan in the 1995 superhit film Rangeela.