Shekhar Kapur Says It's The Right Time For India To Become Prime Cultural Influencer

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur said on Tuesday that India must embrace cinema as a soft power if it is to capture the minds and hearts of future generations around the world.

The filmmaker, renowned for films such as 'Masoom,' 'Mr. India,' and 'Bandit Queen,' believes that India and China can build their soft power to become "major influencers in the world."

According to a report by the Indian Express, the 76-year-old director said, “There was a time during my youth when I aspired to become like Americans. This was only due to the influence of American media. Now it is our turn; Asia is rising and India and China are two nations who can cultivate their soft power to become major influencers in the world. China is already making all out efforts to achieve that.” 

According to a press release, Kapur was speaking at the commencement of a national conference titled 'Indian Cinema and Soft Power,' which was organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (lCCR).

The occasion was also attended by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who were both present at Raj Bhavan. Kapur emphasised the importance of technological advancement and said that the industry must create newer ways to depict narratives.

“If India has to use cinema as a soft power, we have to win the minds and hearts of the future generations around the world… We need to think of telling our stories through popular media like gaming using the latest technologies. I would like to see games featuring Indian characters in Indian costumes,” he added.

On the professional front, Kapur is eager for the release of his next film, 'What's Love Got to Do With It?,' which stars Lily James, Emma Thompson, Sajal Ali, Shazad Latif, Rob Brydon, and Shabana Azmi, among others.

He will also direct the television version of Amish Tripathi's critically acclaimed novel series Shiva Trilogy.