Prithviraj Sukumaran talks about Hindi film industry’s lean patch

Malayalam superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran said the Hindi film industry post the 1990s has been path-breaking in taking Indian cinema to the world and regional language movies will forever be indebted to them for showing the way. The actor, who has directed Malayalam cinema superstar Mohanlal in ‘L2: Empuraan’ and also plays a prominent role in it, was in the National capital to promote the movie, releasing this Thursday.

Replying to a question on lessons that Hindi cinema, which is going through a lull phase, needed to learn from other industries, Prithviraj praised Bollywood and said every industry goes through different phases.

“There is a lot for everyone to learn from everywhere. I understand the conversation and praise around Malayalam cinema of late. But make no mistake - it was not too long back when we were sitting at tables in Kerala and thinking, ‘How is the Hindi cinema doing this?’ It was a time not too far ago when maverick filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Hansal Mehta burst out on the scene and started making content that made us think, ‘Wow’. Yes, Malayalam cinema is going through a great phase, but these phases happen to every cinema periodically,” the actor-filmmaker said at a promotional event of ‘Empuraan’.

Prithviraj said he wouldn’t be surprised that a couple of years later, people would praise films coming out of Bollywood once again. “But one thing that is most aspirational about Hindi cinema post the 1990s is how you have taken your cinema to the world. Hindi cinema has been absolutely path-breaking in taking Indian cinema to the world and for people around the world to discover content that we make in the country. For all the regional languages, however, pan Indian success we discover, we will forever be indebted to Hindi cinema for having shown us the way,” he said.