Lucknow, Veteran actor Akhilendra Mishra says the enduring popularity of memorable characters in Hindi cinema and television has faded because today's films are no longer creating distinct personalities on screen, with most roles beginning to resemble one another.
Speaking to PTI during a visit here, the actor, known for roles such as Kroor Singh in "Chandrakanta", Mirchi Seth in "Sarfarosh", DSP Bhurelal in "Gangajal", said strong characterisation, rather than screen time, was what once made supporting roles live on in public memory.
Mishra also essayed the role of Arjan in the Aamir Khan-starrer Oscar-nominated "Lagaan", which is celebrated 25th anniversary this year.
"Earlier, people connected with characters. Today, films lack characterisation. Everyone acts in a similar way and speaks in the same tone. In the process, the colour and identity of characters have disappeared. When audiences cannot relate to a character, films eventually suffer," Mishra said.
Drawing an analogy, he said audiences respond to diversity in storytelling just as they marvel at a rainbow rather than plain white light.
"When you see a rainbow, you call others to look at it because all seven colours are visible. Similarly, stories, performances, music, emotions and presentation need different shades. Today, we are only seeing white light.
Asked why characters from earlier decades continue to be remembered while many contemporary ones fade quickly, Mishra said iconic roles are no longer being written.
"Where are characters like Gabbar Singh, Mogambo or Sakharam? Where are Kroor Singh, Mirchi Seth or DSP Bhurelal being written today? Police films are still being made, but you don't find such memorable characters anymore," he said.
Mishra said filmmakers earlier actively sought out theatre actors for well-defined character roles, citing actors such as Amjad Khan and Amrish Puri as examples.
"They searched for actors who could become those characters. I was chosen for Kroor Singh because of my theatre work. John Matthew Matthan picked me for 'Sarfarosh' after watching one of my plays," he recalled.
The actor, however, acknowledged the industry's working culture has become more organised.
"The film industry has completely changed. New people have come in and the working style is more modern and corporate. One positive change is the work has become systematic and projects are completed on schedule, whether films or web series. That wasn't the case earlier," he said.
Mishra nevertheless argued that this professionalism has not translated into better storytelling in mainstream Hindi cinema.
"The soul of cinema lies in the stories and characters. Languages have disappeared from films, and actors increasingly imitate a particular Westernised style of dialogue delivery. Directors also want that. As a result, characters lose their individuality," he said.
He said OTT platforms have emerged as a brighter space for actors because they offer more defined characters and encourage experimentation.
"OTT has brought back meaningful roles. Writers are working harder because the content is released globally and has to meet international standards.
Many actors who had faded from public memory have found a fresh breakthrough through web series," he said.
At the same time, Mishra said mainstream Hindi cinema has become repetitive, unlike several regional film industries.
"There is hardly any variation left in Hindi cinema. Malayalam, Tamil, Assamese, Bengali and even Punjabi cinema are doing remarkable work with fresh scripts rooted in their soil. That rootedness is what connects with audiences," he said.
The actor also expressed concern over the difficulties faced by independent filmmakers in securing theatrical releases, saying many acclaimed films fail to reach audiences because of poor screen allocation.
"Many talented actors have not been fully explored by the industry. Good films are also struggling to find proper theatrical release. But change has its own time, and I believe Hindi cinema will eventually change too," he added.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
