Bollywood star Akshay Kumar is among the ones for whom Indian film had evolved to this point, praising films, and even expressing his desire to work with younger filmmakers like Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Aditya Dhar. Akshay was on the field playing out how, in that interview, on-screen work like Animal might change the picture of the protagonist who was a typical protagonist in the mainstream of cinema.
It, he said, had reinstated the “angry young man” image with much more vengeful ferocity than he’d had in decades most famously associated with Amitabh Bachchan. Animal expanded the nature of this archetype and enabled some of the darker and aggressive impulses of the modern hero to shine through, Akshay said. The actor also complemented some of those characters in the film, mainly Ranbir Kapoor and Bobby Deol, whose characters resonated for the viewers.
And although the film was a box office success, it became hot for debate online over its representation of violence a change that Akshay said was part of what shaped the storytelling landscape of modern-day cinema. He reflected on broader industry trends, pointing out that RRR and Baahubali: The Beginning were examples of large movie making in big films.
Post pandemic-era India, he said that they reminded the audience, with huge and visually stunning grandiose experiences such as these massive big movies, they turned into a fresh audience again to the new movie house in the form of larger visual overload. Such films from his point of view have considerably widened the domain of Indian filmmaking and highlighted the way the consumer in general has turned to large, epic stories. Akshay also demonstrated strong desire to work with those filmmakers who are shaping this new style of cinema.
He said he is comfortable working with a team (if a script fits) especially in our industry-action genre which is part of one of his strengths-if there is a script to go with it. The more recent ‘Bhooth Bangla’, though all of his critics got very mixed mixed up with this film, still managed to pull profits.
Overall, it points towards the commercial reception of the film, despite the varying reviews from its critics, showing that Akshay still attracts a big amount of audiences. But amidst these changeable tides in Bollywood, a film star like Akshay Kumar’s willingness to work with filmmakers from fresh youth and generations indicates some positive progression in his career choices. Whether or not he works with directors such as Vanga or Dhar is unclear, but his curiosity speaks to a phenomenon of old-money stars diving into audacious, unconventional storytelling.
