In a recent podcast, Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor lamented the industry's lack of good films and criticized manufactured marketing that disrupts authentic audience reactions. He highlighted shrinking attention spans affecting both viewers and creators. Kapoor made these remarks while promoting his upcoming action thriller O Romeo.
Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor recently shared his concerns about the state of the film industry during a podcast interview with Prakhar Gupta on YouTube. Promoting his upcoming film O Romeo, Kapoor addressed the scarcity of quality cinema and the pitfalls of artificial promotion strategies.
Kapoor emphasized the purity of genuine audience appreciation, stating, “People don’t understand, but it’s a miracle of life — that a room full of people is actually clapping, whistling and acknowledging you, giving you status above their own. It’s a very beautiful thing. That’s why art is special. But when that purity starts to be disrupted, and something manufactured comes into it, it no longer feels the same.” He clarified that while marketing is essential, he avoids artificial PR cycles and believes creators must discern between appropriate and excessive tactics.
He also discussed broader challenges, noting a decline in audience patience due to constant stimulation. “See, the candle is burning from both ends. The audience is losing patience; their minds can’t focus. They need stimulation, they need breaks, because it’s a dopamine hit. The creators are doing the same to themselves, so when they try to focus and work, their ability to create is compromised. It’s not that the audience doesn’t want to watch films; it’s also that we are not making as many good films as we should. So it’s a two-way process,” Kapoor said.
This conversation comes ahead of O Romeo's release. Written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. Adapted from Hussain Zaidi's book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, it features Shahid Kapoor alongside Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia, Disha Patani, Farida Jalal, and Vikrant Massey. The action thriller is set to hit theaters on February 13.
