We’re Currently in One of the Worst Creative Phases- Vishal Bhardwaj on Bollywood’s Crisis”

At the recent launch of S. Hussain Zaidi’s book From Dubai to Karachi, acclaimed filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj shared compelling insights into the cinematic lure of the underworld and the current state of the Hindi film industry. Known for his gritty adaptations and layered characters, Bhardwaj hinted at a deep fascination with morally ambiguous worlds—and also touched upon the severe creative uncertainty plaguing Bollywood today.

 

Speaking candidly about the temptation to explore gangster narratives, Bhardwaj said:“I don’t think it is challenging… It is so inviting and juicy. A lot of the time, it’s like this—if you release two films, one on Dawood and one on Vivekananda, more tickets will be sold for Dawood. Nobody is interested in saints—we are interested in devils.”

 

This blunt yet truthful observation reflects not only audience behavior but also the creative magnetism filmmakers feel towards grey characters.“This world is so fascinating because between black and white lies the grey—sometimes they’re Robin Hood, sometimes they’re killers, sometimes they’re brothers. Every filmmaker’s dream has always been to create a Godfather. This world will keep calling us back again and again.”

 

Bhardwaj also spoke about the current turmoil in the Hindi film industry:“I wish someone knew the formula for what works at the box office. We are in one of the worst creative phases in our industry. Nobody knows what’s working—there’s hardly any money, everything has dried up.”

 

He pointed out that trends are no longer as predictable as they once were:“Nobody has ever really known what works. One thing becomes a hit, and everyone starts chasing it like a formula. But now, even that doesn’t happen. There’s nothing to follow. This uncertainty is taking us towards the unknown—and that unknown is very beautiful.”

 

While staying tight-lipped about details, Bhardwaj confirmed that his upcoming film is set in the 1990s underworld and is inspired by real events:“My next film has the deep underworld of the 90s… it’s based on your story only (gesturing to Zaidi). But we should keep that a secret.”

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