Nowadays filmmaking is a business not an art - Jaya Bachhan

Surely I agree with many points. The subtlety has lost it's significance and loudness has dominated. Moreover, we find vulgarity creeping in.

I remember we took our girls to James Bond Movie released along with "Yeh Jawani hai Diwani". We went to James Bond movie because we could not get tickets for the other Hindi movie. My husband and I were worried that being a James Bond movie, it might not be appropriate to watch with kids. But the movie was worth watching with no obscene visuals or messages. Next week we watched the other movie and were surprised that the so called clean family entertainer had everything- stereotyping of female, pre marital sex, multiple partners etc. 

But we accept it as reflection of changing society. So whether the changing society is effecting film-making or it is vice-versa.  

Jaya Bhaduri was a natural actress who acted only in worthwhile roles. In fact she paved the way for the new wave cinema along with Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil..for someone like her it must be distressing to watch the all noise no content nor quality films that are churned out now. Lots of glamour, money spent like water on outdoor location,actors paid in crores. One wonders how much of all that is real and white and who the financiers are? 

But there are some good cinemas also which have a powerful impact. The expressions are subtle but strike with the public and have a powerful impact. Films like PK, Piku and Queen fall into that category. I still feel some filmmakers like Vishal Bhardwaj and Anurag Kashyap have a beautiful way of bringing art film in to a package of commercial movie. So their meaningful movies even attract the crowd. 

No to forget "lage raho munnabhai"-  such a strong message conveyed with such simplicity and keeping in mind the present scenario of society

The good films made now are very few whereas during the time Jaya was active not only were there many good films being made , the average films too were watchable since they were entertaining with good music and storyline.

Jaya, added, Present films are more about numbers and business. If the opening day collection of  a Movie,  is 50 crores, it  is considered as a great film. Most of the characters in Indian Films seem to be inspired by the West. The absence Of Indianess is conspicuously visible.

Yes its true that the standard of the hindi movies is going down and as Jaya Bachchan says its all about numbers now. There is too much of commercialization. I think its kind of a vicious circle... the so called stars need to be paid a hefty amount, to compensate that film maker needs to make sure his movie is "Commercial" and not "Art" which in turn would mean to add some masala which caters to mass audience. With each hit movie the "stars" increase there remuneration.. 

Also we as audiences also play a part in that, sometimes downright ugly and senseless movies become major hits crossing the 100crore business... where as some other very good movies fail to make an impact

Audience also responsible for the low quality movies. Marathi Film ' Court' which was selected as India's official entry to the Oscars  did not have many viewers when it was screened at a Festival.

There is commercialization in all fields. Now there is more mindedness and little concern for artistic values or rather any values. Film industry is no exception. Now nobody does anything without money motive. 

Of course audience play an important role in the kind of films made, however, it is mutual ! When the basic quality improves and there are more films made focusing on clean entertainment, audience taste would change accordingly.

usha manohar wrote:

Of course audience play an important role in the kind of films made, however, it is mutual ! When the basic quality improves and there are more films made focusing on clean entertainment, audience taste would change accordingly.

It is a vicious cycle. Audience many a times have no choice but to chose from the available options. And so more and more movies of same type are made presuming that it is the demand of audience. It s just like if you are given a food for some time, you develop a taste for it until you taste something good and then realize that you were relishing a crap because you had no choice