'The Romantics' Director Surprised By Hindi Film Stars' Repulsion For 'Bollywood'

One thing which stayed with the viewers from the trailer of the docu-series 'The Romantics' was the repulsion of Hindi cinema stars with the word 'Bollywood'. Director Smriti Mundhra, who has put together the series, was surprised at such displeasure of the actors.

She said: "I was surprised to learn how unanimously people in the industry hate the term Bollywood. But in hindsight, it makes perfect sense. Who would want to be defined in the context of a totally different entity, especially with a term that feels reductive and derivative?"

From the three Khans, Salim Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Rani Mukerji, Hrithik Roshan to Anushka Sharma are seen speaking out against the usage of the term 'Bollywood' in the trailer because they don't feel it's inclusive of other film industries.

She added: "The Hindi film industry, and indeed all the regional industries that make up Indian cinema, are juggernauts unto their own. It's just too bad that the word 'Bollywood' is so catchy!"

In a tribute to the legacy of Yash Chopra, YRF and its cultural impact on India over the past 50 years, the docu-series will feature 35 leading personalities from the film industry who have closely worked with YRF through its 50 years.

Interestingly, the honcho of YRF, Aditya Chopra, who is known to be quite reclusive, has also recorded his first on-camera interview for 'The Romantics'.

'The Romantics' will drop on Netflix on February 14, 2023.