After witnessing the failure of big banner films like Race 3, Thugs of Hindostan and Zero in 2018, it seems, Bollywood is now realising there’s more to a film than just the sheer star power attached to the project. The latest to realise this is Deepika Padukone, who has stated that it’s the women-centric films which seem to be doing better now than ever.
Read: Deepika Padukone to co-produce film on acid attack survivorÂ
At the book launch of The Dot That Went For A Walk – which also includes a chapter about the star’s battle with depression, Deepika was asked to comment about the failure of films which featured megastars Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan in 2018.
Courtesy: Pinkvilla
“It is different when you say that Khans’ films didn’t work, but say a film like Andhadhun that was led by Ayushmann [Khurrana], worked. So, it really boils down to the script itself,” Deepika said.
She furthered that 2018 witnessed movies which were led by female actors because strong scripts are being offered to them now.
“I see a trend that films that are being led by women are doing much better. Also, we are in a place today where directors are changing roles, and that was unheard of. You have a script which has a male protagonist, then suddenly directors are like ‘wait, let me just flip that, let me make that a female protagonist and then go to so and so with the film.’ So, you hear of a film that was offered to male actors two-three years ago, and it is coming back to you now with a female protagonist. It is a huge achievement.”
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The actress who will be seen playing an acid attack survivor in Meghna Gulzar’s Chapaak continued that the audience is driven by quality content today rather than a big star on a poster of the film.
“No one can blindly say that just because so and so is in the film, let’s go watch it. I think 2018 has made that clear. The audience has that pulse right from the poster to the promo. Gone are the days when you have a big star on a film poster and that film worked,” she concluded.
