‘Hindi Cinema Has Lost Its Roots’: Prakash Raj Takes Aim At Bollywood’s ‘Plastic’ Films

Veteran actor Prakash Raj, who has featured prominently in Hindi films like Singham, Dabangg 2 and Wanted, believes that mainstream Bollywood has drifted away from its core. Speaking at the ongoing ninth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), the National Award winner offered a candid critique of Hindi cinema, calling it increasingly artificial and driven more by money than meaningful storytelling.

What Prakash Raj said

According to a PTI report, Prakash Raj drew a stark contrast between Hindi cinema and regional industries, particularly Malayalam and Tamil films.

“In the present context, I feel Malayalam and Tamil cinema are making very strong films. Hindi cinema, on the other hand, has lost its roots,” he said.

He went on to describe

Bollywood’s visual polish as hollow, adding, “Everything looks beautiful and wonderful, like plastic, as you see in the Madame Tussauds museum.”

Prakash praised young filmmakers from the South for tackling socially relevant themes, especially Dalit narratives.

“We still have stories to tell. The new young directors of Tamil cinema are talking about Dalit issues, and that gives so much hope,” he said.

‘The industry lost touch with its audience’

The actor also pointed to the rise of multiplex culture as a turning point for Bollywood.

“After multiplexes, the Bombay film industry started making films only for multiplex audiences,” he remarked.

According to Prakash, this shift pushed filmmakers towards what he called a “Page 3 culture,” gradually disconnecting Hindi cinema from large sections of the country.

“They lost touch with rural Rajasthan and Bihar,” he said.

He added that today the focus has shifted to “money, appearances, reels, Page 3 coverage and loud self-promotion.”

“In that process, I feel the industry has lost its connection with the audience,” Prakash Raj concluded.

Prakash Raj’s work front

Prakash Raj was last seen in the Hindi film Tere Ishk Mein, where he played Dhanush’s father.

He will next appear in the political action drama Jana Nayagan, which is expected to be Vijay’s final film as an actor. The film’s release was recently delayed due to censor-related issues, with a new date yet to be announced.