Director Vivek Agnihotri, gearing up for The Delhi Files – The Bengal Chapter, criticized Bollywood in a lengthy note. He claimed the industry lacks fresh ideas and new producers, calling the box office a “hoax office.” His remarks reflect his dissatisfaction with the current state of filmmaking.
In his X account, Vivek penned a note which began, “BOLLYWOOD IS FALLING — and it’s the best thing that could happen.”
He went on to add, ‘Bollywood is in shambles. And that’s good for the industry. To erect a new building, you must demolish the old one. This is that time. Today, Bollywood has hardly any independent producers. No new producers. No fresh ideas. No innovative distribution or marketing strategies. A few years ago, there were a dozen studios — now just two or three remain, and they too are monopolistic and here for reasons other than filmmaking. The passion for cinema has been replaced by corporate greed and agenda-driven content.’
He further added, ‘There are no movies — that’s why there’s a mad rush to release old films. Most directors who could have made a difference in these critical times have given up and succumbed to OTT.’
He wrote, ‘For the film business to survive, star-actors are essential. But there are no promising new stars. If you want to cast someone from the 21–35 age group, you’ll find almost none — neither heroes nor heroines. The few that exist can’t speak Hindi, can’t emote, and seem more interested in Instagram than their own craft. And without having achieved much, they come with an entourage — managers, social media teams, trainers, and whatnot.’
He added about the problem of the box office game, ‘If you choose to cast unknown, outsider actors from humble backgrounds (like I do), you stand no chance of getting funding, distribution, or marketing. The box office, once the ultimate test of a film, has now become a hoax office. You can publish any figure, give away free tickets, arrange corporate bookings, manipulate BookMyShow — do whatever you want. It’s a free-for-all. Everyone’s screaming about box office numbers, but their films have nothing to say.’
He stated, ‘There are no genuine critics, no real film magazines or tabloids. Anyone can pay and get anything written. No wonder, as always, Bollywood chose the easy way out: manipulation and corruption.’
‘The irony? The mighty ones who created this corrupt chakravyuh are now playing the victims. The monster they built is ready to swallow them. And I’m happy. I hope it does. I hope it devours them, so they can reincarnate — this time as pure film creators, not monster-makers. The team we worked with on The Delhi Files was full of small-town, vernacular boys and girls. Many of them will succeed and make great films — provided the monster eats up this old, broken, and extremely corrupt system. If you’re a middle-class, small-time young storyteller willing to sacrifice for your craft — this is your time. Yes. This is the time. Come. Let’s build a new Hindi film industry. Else, change Bollywood’s name to Instawood,’ he concluded.
Vivek Agnihotri’s The Delhi Files explores the Hindu genocide and the lasting impact of 1940s political decisions on Bengal. Co-produced by Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi, it features Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, and Govind Namdev. The film is set for a theatrical release on August 15, 2025.
