Filmmaker Prakash Jha is disappointed with the A-lister actors in Bollywood. As a director, he struggles to cast stars as top legendary actors are busy selling tobacco and not wanting to work in his films. Prakash Jha who is known for films like Gangaajal, Chakravyuh, Satyagraha, and more hasn’t made a film with a big star in a while.
In a fresh interview, Prakash Jha addressed why he doesn’t cast big stars in his films. He remarked that his focus is on content and big stars are promoting tobaccos. He added, that when stars take time out from selling tobaccos to focus on content, they will come to him automatically. The Aashram creator thinks there are only 5-6 actors left in the industry others are earning ₹50 crores doing one gutkha advertisement.
In an interview with Times of India, Prakash said, “There are 5-6 actors. Look at the condition of these actors. Why will they work in my films when they get ₹50 crores for doing one gutkha advertisement? The actors are selling gutkha. Can you imagine? What are these top, legendary actors doing? We had gone to a school for location scouting. The principal of the school asked me what are you guys doing in the Mumbai film industry? The boys in our school are caught chewing gutkha. Roam around the north through Lucknow, Prayagraj, and Mugalsarai, there are big hoardings put up where all our big stars are selling all types of gutkhas (tobaccos) and paan masalas.”
Speaking on ‘star system’, he said, “What do we do about the system? Unless and until we don’t correct our filmmaking process. The filmmaking process doesn’t start with money, it starts with the subject. It starts with the passion of making cinema. It can’t start with the 500-crore funding that you have got, so you can make anything. That’s what is happening…I have not sat idle even for a day. I have been producing content constantly. I haven’t made a film with a big star in a while, but I have made other stuff. That’s fine, I’m happy about it. When stars take time out from selling gutkhas and want to focus on content, they will come to me automatically.”
Prakash Jha delivered the third season of the famous web series Aashram. He received success and praises for Aashram 3 when films are struggling for box office collection. Earlier, Jha cited that poor content of films is leading to poor performance at the box office. He also stressed that most of the films being made these days are remakes. Original content is lacking in Bollywood, films are just remakes of Telugu, Tamil, or Hollywood.
On the work front, Prakash Jha was critically acclaimed for the political crime thriller web series Aashram. The third season was released in June and received much love. Prakash played a labour’s role in his latest film Matto Ki Saikil released in theatres on September 16.
Also Read: Prakash Jha Slams Bollywood Filmmakers For Bakwas Films And Remakes