‘Please engage a good script writer’: Film critic Meena Iyer urges makers to put efforts to provide ‘sensible’ cinema to audience

MUMBAI: “Ek Beimani aa gayi hai,” highlighted film critic Meena Iyer while expressing her views about how inconsistent film quality is driving audiences away from theatres.

Lately, Indian cinema, especially Bollywood, has witnessed underwhelming performances from films such as Kangana Ranaut-starrer ‘Emergency’, Shahid Kapoor’s ‘Deva’ and Abhishek Kapoor’s directorial ‘Azaad’, among others. Salman Khan’s Eid release, Sikandar, also did not open to great reviews.

When Meena Iyer was asked why movies are losing their sparkle, the veteran journalist discussed several factors that might have contributed to Bollywood’s recent struggles.

“We have stopped thinking about our scripts. Ek beimani agai hai (There’s dishonesty now). Be it the audience or media, or distributors, everyone is now disappointed. Filmmakers should realise that they can’t fool anyone. They should put efforts to provide quality and sensible cinema to audience.

Today, concentration is not so much on art…. People are not thinking about the script. They feel they have a superstar in the film and they can then do anything with it and then the film will become hit…It does not happen like this. There should be a proper focus on the script,” she opined.
Meena Iyer feels that Bollywood needs to work on its storytelling.

“Please engage a good scriptwriter, a good editor, a good music director. Please engage the finest talent and give us sensible cinema. This brain-dead cinema that you’re giving us week on week is not helping you. It’s not helping me, it’s not helping the viewer. We have good makers who have the talent to bring commercial and sensible cinema together….why just lean so much on superstar or star or anyone….and not back them with good script or good plot..why?” she emphasised.

Three months have passed since the start of 2025, and so far, the only major blockbuster we’ve seen is Vicky Kaushal’s film Chhaava. Hopefully, moviegoers will be pleased and experience quality cinema in the upcoming months.

Films like Kesari, Jaat, Kannappa, Toxic, Housefull 5, and Sitaare Zameen Par are scheduled to be released this year. It will be interesting to see how these movies perform at the box office. (ANI)