New Year, New Bollywood? Stars reveal the one thing they wish the industry would get rid of in 2025

Sharmila Tagore, Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal, Manasi Parekh, Ahsaas Channa, and Upendra tell us what they'd like the film industry to get rid of this New Year.

The New Year comes with the obvious resolutions. Many resolve to turn their lives around, pledging to get fitter, more active, more creative, or any of the dozens of goals they set for themselves. But what if instead of individuals, institutions took New Year resolutions. We asked the stars themselves on what the Hindi film industry could resolve to change in 2025.

What could be Bollywood's New Year resolutions? The stars tell us.

Labels: Richa Chadha

Richa Chadha says Hindi films need to get rid of labels.

Richa Chadha, who has turned producer from actor with Girls Will Be Girls, says that the Indian movie scene needs to get rid of 'labels'. She explains, "A producer will say, this is an independent film. A financier will call it festival film, multiplex film, or a blockbuster. There are terms like parallel cinema or women-centric. Many new genres being invented every day."

Apathy for small films: Sharmila Tagore

Sharmila Tagore advocates for small films.

Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore wants the audience, who she sees as an extension of the industry, to support small, independent films. "We say every year that we want good stuff, new stuff. So we must support these new films when they come out. Once the audience does that, the industry will make more such good cinema," she argues.

Fear of making new cinema: Ali Fazal

Ali Fazal has films like Mirzapur, Metro...In Dino etc in the pipeline.

Ali, who has co-produced Girls Will Be Girls with wife Richa, feels that filmmakers are afraid of testing the waters today. "Not too long ago, we had Fukrey, Kahaani, Masaan. All these films came at a time when there was an audience," he says, adding, "There still is. I think of whatever has happened in the last few years, including the pandemic, everyone is just scared. Maybe we can try and let go of that."

The formula: Upendra

Kannada star Upendra wants more diversity in Indian storytelling.

Kannada actor-filmmaker Upendra is known for his thought-provoking cinema. He feels that more directors should break the boundaries that commerce has set up. "I think more directors should break that barrier," he says, "The formula will be there because there are so many filmmakers. We need all kinds of films. But the audience expects something different too and it is our duty to give them that."

Tag of regional cinema: Manasi Parekh

Manasi Parekh won the National Award for Gujarati film Kutch Express.

National Award winner Manasi Parekh has been doing wonders in Gujarati cinema in the last few years, but she doesn't like the tag of 'regional cinema'. She feels that Indian cinema could be looked at as one unit not just by outsiders but by people from within as well. "I would love for a film to be made where she speaks in Tamil and I speak in Gujarati. It's how people talk in real life in India, where conversations take place in different languages. We come together, understand each other and figure out a way to communicate," she says.

Typecasting the heroine: Ahsaas Channa

Ahsaas Channa emphasises on not typecasting heroines,

Actor Ahsaas Channa says that we need to be more inclusive and diverse when looking at how to present the conventional Bollywood heroine. "We always expect actresses or Bollywood heroines to be a certain way, have a certain kind of body and face. I feel that leads to having less diverse mainstream Bolywood heroines and even heroes. I think that should change," she says.