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EXCLUSIVE: Ranvir Shorey on Lootcase snubbed at online event, repercussions of public breakup, Kangana Ranaut
Ranvir Shorey, in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, opened up on how the power pyramid functions, the movie being snubbed from the premiere event by Hotstar where 7 films were announced, Kangana Ranaut's revelation on abuse of power and more. Read.
Ranvir Shorey has been quite vocal about the power structure in Bollywood and the repercussions of it. One of the voice to open up on the nepotism debate, Ranvir has Lootcase releasing on July 31 on Hotstar. The actor, in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, opened up on how the power pyramid functions, the movie being snubbed from the premiere event by Hotstar where 7 films were announced, Kangana Ranaut's revelation on abuse of power and more. He maintained that the problem is not being accountable for the abuse of power one exercises and he hopes the streaming platforms, who are currently in power, don't walk the same path. He also touched upon how media too ends up adding to this phenomenon.
Excerpts from the conversation:
The film is finally releasing on OTT. Are you happy about it?
I have never been fussy about the platform because I have always suffered at the hands of theatrical releases. I have always done small films and they don’t get the right kind of screens. I don’t really care where it is getting released, I am just happy that the audience will get to see it.
Kunal spoke about the disappointment he felt over not being invited for the premiere of the movies on Hotstar. Did you feel disappointed as well?
Yes, absolutely. I was, in fact, very proud that Kunal spoke about it. The fact that I was not invited is understandable because I have a supporting role in the film, Vidyut Jamwal (for Khuda Hafiz) and Kunal are the lead actors for their films, both of them should have been called. Why were they not? What message are we giving out? Everyone is saying 'thank god the streaming platforms are here, there is a democratisation of content, filmmakers can now reach the audience, finally a platform where distribution won’t be one-sided or controlled' and then if they do such a thing, it is sending out a conflicting message. So I was disappointed. I hope this doesn’t happen again and I hope the streaming platform won’t start walking the same way that the theatre owners and the powers in Bollywood do.
I imagine this #lockdown must be making even the biggest #Bollywood stars and banners feel frustrated at not being able to release their films in theatres. This is the feeling most independent filmmakers and actors live with all the time.
You had previously mentioned how the power structure in the industry impacted you so much that you had to take a long sabbatical. Has anything changed since then?
Right now, it is still the same but one can hope that with the arrival of streaming platforms, which is a new phenomenon now, one can hope that there won’t be much disparity about who holds the power in the system of cinema and the release. There is a saying that power corrupts you and when people have powers they tend to abuse it, and when there is no accountability, it is worse. This is the case with mainstream Bollywood where the power lies with a few bunch of people with no accountability.
People today on social media are holding many accountable, do you think that will change anything?
No, I think we should not confuse social media rants with actual change. Real change will happen when the audience buys the tickets and watches the movies of the actors who they feel deserve it. Right now, social media trends will go on but won’t change anything but finally, people won’t go to the cinema halls and watch movies which deserve to be watched, or for the media to not give attention to those star kids or people taken by big banners, giving them media space but actors who also been in the industry for 10-15 years successfully, but there is no media space for them except when it is something negative. Unless these changes happen in the system, nothing will change.
Real change will happen when the audience buys the tickets and watches the movies of the actors who they feel deserve it
Ranvir Shorey
Between 2002-2005, you mentioned the environment became too toxic for you. What kept you anchored?
I think when you have a strong emotional system in your family and friends, that’s the first step. Second is to not let these negative emotions consume you and work on your passion and get better at your craft. For example, in 2002-2005 when this thing happened, I had to leave the country for some time because the environment got so toxic for me. Some blatant lies were said about me in the press and because these people were so powerful there was nobody giving me a chance to say anything. It becomes a one-sided affair. And even at that time, I went abroad and studied acting there and used that time positively. I did not let the negativity consume me.
“The Gang” is essentially a mutually beneficial alliance of a few powerful, corrupt, crafty old men, and a few second generation younger producers who have inherited film empires. Their objective is to have control over the top of the pyramid and have pliable stars. #Bollywood
What caused this isolation?
I had a very public breakup at that time. This was a fallout (with Bhatts) of that. They were very powerful people who lied about me in the press and then what followed was professional isolation, social isolation and I was under a lot of stress, it was so bad that my brother asked me to get away from it for some time. I then did that. And then I came back, for two years, I did not get many films and whatever I got was small roles. Then, I had to do TV again, did The Great Indian Comedy Show, and then took one step at a time to be where I am today. In this journey, no big production or banner helped me. It has been a struggle.
They were very powerful people who lied about me in the press and then what followed was professional isolation, social isolation and I was under a lot of stress
Ranvir Shorey
What is your take on the entire nepotism, insider-outsider debate?
I don’t think the debate should be about outsider or insider, it should be about how all the power at the top of the pyramid of Bollywood is controlled by a bunch of six people. There is no accountability. That is the problem. The insider and outsider debate is waste of time, don’t get into this because there are many insiders who have been thrown out as outsiders and many outsiders who have been taken in as insiders, what you need to see is when people abuse their power.
He explained:
Problems are fixed numbers of theatres, and screens and when that is controlled by a few people and others left at their mercy, isn’t that an unjust system? That is the problem. These people have that power, and they have been abusing it. Because they have power over the theatrical distribution system, they have power over media. Half of it also stems from media as well who give in to power to have easy access to stars.
While there is a lot of support for Kangana, there is a section who feels she is making this debate about herself...?
How? How is she using it to her own good? If she is talking about the injustices in the system, abuse of power, how is she going to gain from it? How is she going to gain? Is this going to sell more tickets for her movies? I am saying forget who is saying it, focus on what is being said. Just focus on that.
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