Anushka Sharma is one of the most successful actresses in Bollywood today. She is talented and can be counted upon to deliver a good movie & a powerful performance. Her last few films, specially Phillauri & NH10 have been rather different, which proved that Anushka can single-handedly carry a film on her shoulders.
The rampant gender divide in the film industry, however, has not escaped Anushka’s notice. In a recent interview with Mid-Day, she said:
Films led by female actors do not open to remarkable numbers. A lot of us are trying to change that with the kind of work we do. Who said that the industry was fair? Talking of the gender divide won’t make it go away. Male actors are better valued than us in Hindi cinema. As an actor, what I can do is choose roles that send out a message [of empowerment, both as actor and the character]. As producer, I am trying to foster a new value system that makes content king in the long run.
That is true! Look at NH10 for example, Anushka produced and acted in the film, and it was a critical success. It may not have entered the 100 crore league, but the film did good business.
She also spoke about the films that do not fare that well at the Box Office, Bombay Velvet, for example. The onus of carrying a film lies on the lead character’s shoulders, she feels. Therefore, Ranbir Kapoor was targeted when Bombay Velvet did not perform too well. Anushka told Mid-Day:
What happened to him (Ranbir) was unfair. He is one of the best actors we have today. But it’s also because Bombay Velvet was Johnny’s film more than Rosie’s (Anushka’s character in the film). I would have been held solely responsible if NH10 had flopped, not because I produced it, but because the film was riding on my shoulders. But, he continues to be targeted also because of other films he did that didn’t fare well. I was relatively less affected because I had successful films before and after Bombay Velvet.
Do you agree with Anushka? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!