S.P. Balasubrahmanyam is widely regarded as one of the finest voices in the south and hence, whenever he says something, people pay attention immediately. Such is the case with the recent comment he made on Tollywood which has shook film fraternity with clear and curt answers to questions raised about film industry in a recent award function where he was felicitated with a lifetime achievement award.
Opening up to questions
In the ceremony, the noted singer surprised everyone when he said he didn’t have much to say about himself and he was wondering if the audience would ask questions. Then, as the questions came up, the answers were frank and to some extent, surprising to many. In a no-holds-barred fashion, he criticized the industry for its various problems and its way to deal with them.
Issues with current crop
He pointed out the fact that talented and young filmmakers are in abundance and yet, people get run-of-the-mill films mostly from here and there. It is because the big names don’t let the young ones come to the front and try to create a monopolized market. Moreover, he thinks there is caste and sect involved in the kind of politics that the film industry revolves around. So, there are multiple issues. He also pointed about the fact that there are quite a few producers who would book hundreds of halls when a top star acts in their films but small budget films hardly get any attention.
Issues with audience
While he attacked the industry for its problems, more effectively he also had hit out to the mindset of the audience calling those blind followers because they clap when others clap without taking some time to think. He also said that critics need to take a more rigorous stance too but the circumstances are not favoring the scenario.
The plight of good cinema
If a critic says something bad about some film, he is abused and attacked by the fans of that star. So, critics cannot write anything bad either. Moreover, small budget good films, even when a critic praises, is lost in a few weeks when multi-starrer blockbuster arrives