Laxman Utekar, the director of Chhaava, has responded to Anurag Kashyap's recent comments about leaving Bollywood due to its toxic environment and repetitive storytelling. Utekar said that nobody is forcing Kashyap to stay in the industry if he's unhappy with it. "Chale jao chod kar, beshak chale jao, koi zabadasti nahi kar raha hai," Utekar said, emphasizing that filmmakers should be mentally and creatively happy.
Utekar disagreed with Kashyap's claim that audiences lack the sensibility to accept his films. "Unki sensibility nahi hai audience ka taste accept karne ki," he said, adding that filmmakers need to adapt to changing audience tastes. Utekar defended Bollywood's box office performance, citing films like Baahubali, RRR, and Pushpa, which have achieved significant success. He emphasized that filmmakers need to evolve with changing audience tastes, as audiences are now more updated and discerning.
Utekar also took a dig at filmmakers who he thinks are out of touch with the realities of their audience. He said that some filmmakers live in posh areas like Juhu and Bandra, and their holiday destinations are London, New York, and Dubai, making them disconnected from the rest of the audience. According to Utekar, this disconnect is a major issue that filmmakers need to address.
Utekar's comments highlight the differing opinions in the film industry, with some filmmakers like Kashyap feeling disillusioned with the current state of Bollywood, while others like Utekar are more optimistic and emphasize the need for filmmakers to adapt to changing audience tastes.