Vivek Agnihotri on Bollywood: 'Everyone wants to copy our costumes, nobody wants to copy our story'

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, while speaking to Bollywood Bubble, spoke about the Hindi film industry and the changes he would like to see. He said, “Everywhere you go, people are, ‘Ha ha ha, your songs are good, your costumes are beautiful and everyone wants to copy costumes, nobody wants to copy our story. So, with good concern I say that.”

He added, “I don’t have a grudge but I say things about Bollywood because I want Bollywood to change. I want Bollywood to reinvent itself and become the world’s best film industry. I want Bollywood to become a soft power for India and not a laughing stock.”

On JNU

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In a recent interview with Firtspost, when  Agnihotri was asked how JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) has shaped him being a product of the institute, he said, “My DNA is very different. I am not a kind of person, who can be shaped by institutes. I also went to Harvard and there is a very famous saying, that this is the Harvard gate and they say, if a horse goes in a horse will come out. But if an ass goes in an ass will come out. So, the thing is, I don’t think institutes can shape you and if it is happening, it’s a failure on the part of the institute. Institute should help you in critical thinking rather than shaping your mind in a certain direction.”

Agnihotri further added, “The problem with JNU is that it has been brainwashing students. This particular institute is creating certain kinds of students who thinks opposing everything just for the sake of it, is cool. Sometimes you need to do good for the society and just being a critic just doesn’t help. I have been a Naxal too and a leftist and have very intense politics, but I have learnt one thing that it is useless being a critic. You end up as a frustrated person and your contribution to society is nothing. I would say I have spent so much time in Bollywood and in JNU, it didn’t shape me in any way. I am who I am.”