There was a time when I didn’t find a single, interesting Hindi TV show to watch, and ended up binging on American TV. Now, with online video streaming services, one is spoilt for choice, and it’s getting better in terms of the wide variety of content to satisfy the diverse tastes of its audience.
I have translated Bengali poets such as Subhash Mukhopadhyay and Sunil Gangopadhyay before. These were published by Hindi and Urdu magazines. But to take on Tagore’s work is no easy task.
My journey has practically been a typical Hindi film script. I was a boy from a small town who wanted to make a future in dancing. Everyone though that I won’t be able to do anything.
I have not done a full-fledged Hindi project but I want to.
I am not against acting in a Hindi film, but I will take it up only if the story is right.
Eventually, I began singing in various shows. It was then that I started appreciating the breadth and depth of Hindi film music.
Hindi journalism is too dogmatic. I often wonder how it can be modernised.
I am mastering my Hindi.
When people heard my voice, they were shocked that I could speak Hindi.
I have stayed in south India all my life. English comes more naturally to me than Hindi.
Hindi movies will never be liked by the critics, trust me. The main stream Hollywood film will not be liked by the critics.
The audience had a huge expectation from me in Bengal, and now in Hindi also people have started expecting from me because they know I am a senior actor from Bengal.
FTII had people from all over India and abroad and they had a different mindset. They would talk about world cinema and there I was – the only foreign films I had watched were probably Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and dubbed in Hindi at that!
I’m not avoiding the Tamil film industry because I’m making Hindi films. It’s just that I’m extremely busy with Bollywood commitments.
To be making my debut at Cannes at the time of the celebration of hundred years of Hindi cinema is going to be an incredible experience that will truly enrich and enlighten me in more ways than one.
Even in India the Hindi film industry might be the best known but there are movies made in other regional languages in India, be it Tamil or Bengali. Those experiences too are different from the ones in Bombay.
Until Ranveer was born in August 2005, three years into our marriage, I was working in Hindi or South Indian films. After marriage, I began learning how to run a house. My mother wanted to teach me the basics, but I was never home. So when my mother-in-law taught me chores, it was hard to adjust.
I don’t know what forces Hindi satellite channels to indulge in so much negativity.
Vipul Shah wanted me to do the Hindi adaptation of my film ‘Kaakha Kaakha.’ I declined the offer.
I am very much a product of commercial cinema in Tollywood, and people ask me why I don’t do masala films in Hindi. I am very eager to do them, but somehow I am perceived as a serious actress here.
Well, we’re a Hindi speaking Marwari family, but everybody in my family understands Telugu and talk Telugu films all the time.
I would say the film world has stopped operating as one. We have divided it into Hindi movies, Bengali movies, Tamil movies and so on. Earlier, there was only one channel and we all knew what was going on. Today, it is hard to keep track of programmes due to the advent of regional channels.
Hindi cinema needs to make working women and women of substance more visible.
Directing a Hindi movie for the first time was easy because Hindi films have been batwing doors for me since 1992.
At the end of the day, the one commonality that both Hindi cinema and Hollywood share is that they are full of talented and inspirational people. Outside of this, there are many differences, from the scheduling and rehearsal to promotion and directing techniques.
If I have to do something, I feel I should do it perfectly, and ofcourse, Hindi language is a problem.
I am definitely interested in doing films in Bollywood. And not only in Hindi – I am open to working anywhere in the country, even if it is Punjabi.
When I decided to start a career in the Hindi entertainment industry, I knew I had to put in efforts as I’m not very fluent with the language of Hindi, as I pronounce certain words differently.
Praktan’ saw stupendous success in Bengal, can it not be remade in Hindi? It sure can.
Baahubali… ‘ has been accepted widely amongst Hindi cinema-goers. So this shows that language is becoming less important.
While Bollywood still remains my priority, I always wanted to do regional cinema. There are so many people who don’t know Hindi, so I decided to do regional films wherein even those who don’t know me can see my work.
I grew up in Malaysia, and Bollywood is really big there. As a result, I’ve grown up watching a lot of Hindi movies.
While acting with Amitabh Bachchan, the legend of Hindi cinema, and superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, I observed how they interpret cinema and make it an experience to cherish for their audiences.
Hindi commercial cinema has denigrated women. We owe a debt of ingratitude to Bollywood for having insidiously polluted our culture covertly.
Hindi is my mother tongue. Even though I do not get to use it as often, it’s still a part of me.
There is nothing wrong with commercial cinema if it is made well. In fact, if you ask me, the Hindi film industry has also produced some truly outstanding works over the years.
Be it Hindi or Hinglish, Zee was never and will never be speechless.
My very first film in Hindi – ‘CID’ – was with Dev Anand. I was a big fan of his. So you can imagine my excitement and nervousness at doing a film with him. On the very first day on the sets, when I called him ‘Dev Saab’ he turned around and said ‘No no, call me Dev.’
I have come to make Hindi films to cater to a certain kind of audience, which looks for entertainment. I feel my strength here as a director will fail if I ever try something experimental.
I know Hindi.
When I made ‘Hera Pheri,’ there was a huge poverty in Hindi cinema for comedies.
Instead of saying ‘unique,’ I will say ‘Kattappava Kaanom’ is a very special and lucky film for me because I got the chance to step into Hindi film industry when I was in the shoot of this movie.
When I was offered ‘Abhijaan,’ I didn’t know any Bengali. But Satyajit Ray insisted, saying my character spoke a mixture of Bhojpuri, Hindi, Urdu and Bengali. I agreed only because he had faith in me.
One reason why I’ve taken 11 years to make my second Hindi film is because I am comfortable working with the stars in the South, as they are with me.
I started with Tamil film, then Hindi. Now, I am also doing a Telugu film. The journey has been wonderful so far.
English is my first language, but when I started shooting for ‘Definition of Fear,’ I actually had trouble with my lines! It was so weird, because I never have trouble with my lines in Hindi!
Directing a film in Hindi is definitely on the cards.
I have been watching the Hindi ‘Bigg Boss’ for years and have been a big fan.
A few words of Hindi appear here or there, but it’s all Urdu. I feel that if the popular culture, which is what Hindi films are, uses Urdu, it’s not going to diminish.
I grew up idolising Madhuri Dixit, though I wasn’t a Hindi film buff. I had an academic upbringing, and movies were a rarity. I looked up to Madhuri because I loved dancing, and she’s a fantastic dancer.
To begin with, I always want to go for scripts that do not have a reference in Hindi cinema. If it is novel and unique, it definitely has a better shelf value.
‘Bad Girl,’ the Mollywood flick to be helmed by filmmaker Shajiyem wherein I essay the role of a super model, will be released simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi.
I would like to do one of Ilaiyaraaja’s songs. After all, I did play drums for him and have watched him closely while composing, recording and performing. I would like to do an album of Mohammed Rafi’s Hindi songs, too.
Ashok Mehta was the man who brought contrast and lighting back to mainstream Hindi film cinematography.
My mother had been an English teacher in India before she came to the U.K., and she taught me to read early on – not only in English, but in Hindi, too. My teachers didn’t like the fact that I was reading more quickly than they were teaching, and as a consequence, I would sometimes get bored in class.
I learnt to sing in Bengali, my mother tongue, then went on to sing in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and every possible Indian language.
I have not seen the Hindi version or the first season of ‘Big Boss Telugu.’ I will bring my own style to the show, using my understanding of how the format works.
It is great that the industry is open to accepting character roles and moving away from the cliched Bollywood Hindi masala films.
I emphasize the technical aspects in all my films, not just Hindi.
Generally, we tend to believe that royalty is only for mainstream Hindi commercial cinema music and maybe some popular ghazal singer or pop singer but we never think that classical music is played at so many places.
Because my parents are Indian, everybody speaks Hindi to me, and I have no idea what they are saying.
