R Balki on perception that Bollywood is on the verge of collapse: ‘Rubbish, people already storming theatres for Brahmastra’

Filmmaker R Balki laughs off when he hears that Bollywood is finished. The filmmaker, who has helmed six films in his career of 15 years, worked with big stars and led his movies to varied box office results, says the industry is simply going through a phase.
With only three films working at the box office this year–Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi and Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files–there was a growing sentiment on the internet that Bollywood has lost its mojo, until Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra released last week and took a smashing start.

Many believed that the Hindi film industry was losing the battle to the South films, after the blockbuster success of Pushpa, KGF Chapter 2 and RRR. But Balki tells that the theory that Bollywood is over is far from truth.
“It is rubbish! It is a lovely theory to have, few flops flopped, and people love to write, fill columns and feed. It is entertainment and failures are also entertainment. When success happen, they will have entertainment again and say, ‘The rise and rise of Bollywood’, which will happen very soon,” Balki says.
The filmmaker, who is currently awaiting the release of his next Chup, says the tide has already turned in the favour of the industry with the latest release Brahmastra clocking record business.

The Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer took a smashing opening, taking its four-day total to Rs 135 cr approximately (including all languages). Brahmastra is expected to end its first week run with collections over Rs 160 cr, domestic.
Balki, known for helming films like Akshay Kumar’s Pad Man, Kareena Kapoor-Arjun Kapoor starrer Ki & Ka, says to call Hindi film industry’s low phase the end of Bollywood is nothing but an overreaction.
“Films flop, films don’t do well, it is a phase. That happens due to various reasons, but this won’t last for too long. As you are already seeing, people are storming the theatres (for Brahmastra). So it will change. This is just another show.”

R Balki’s next, Chup, stars Sunny Deol, Pooja Bhatt, Dulquer Salmaan and Shreya Dhanwanthary. Set to release on September 23, the psychological thriller follows a serial killer who carves stars into the bodies of his victims, film critics.
Chup is Balki’s first directorial in five years, after his 2018 release Pad Man with Akshay Kumar. He had reunited with the star for the 2019 drama Mission Mangal, in the capacity of a writer.