Alia Bhatt questions Indian cinema's male focus, bats for gender-agnostic films

Actor Alia Bhatt has questioned Indian cinema’s continued focus on male audiences at a time when women-centric films in Hollywood are drawing strong box office returns. Speaking during the 79th Cannes Film Festival, Bhatt said storytelling should matter more than the gender of an actor and argued that cinema should be made in a more inclusive way.

In a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India, the actor-producer said the global box office has shown that films with women at the centre can become major successes in recent years. Referring to titles such as Barbie, The Devil Wears Prada 2 and more, she said the conversation in India often revolves around catering to a largely male movie-going audience, even as women form a major part of audiences elsewhere.

What she said about male-centric films

Bhatt said, “It shouldn't matter whether a film stars a man or a woman. The story should matter.” She said we are living in a very fascinating time and pointed to the way several films have done phenomenally well globally, with women driving them to massive success.

She said that in India, discussions about box office numbers often include the idea that around 75 per cent of movie-goers are male. According to her, this leads to a tendency to cater to the “mass” audience. She then asked what happens to women viewers if films are made only with men in mind.

Bhatt clarified that she was not arguing for men to be alienated. Instead, she asked why cinema should cater to only one gender. She said films should be “gender-agnostic”, with storytelling at the centre, and added that she hopes to see more women-led films in theatres in the future.

What she wore at Cannes

At Cannes, Bhatt made a red carpet appearance in a couture look by Tamara Ralph. She wore a sculpted corseted ensemble with a plunging neckline, a sweeping train and a flowing chiffon scarf. The look was paired with statement jewellery, including The Golconda Ros by Amrapali Jewels, along with earrings and rings from Chopard.

Earlier, she was also photographed at Hotel Martinez in a hand-painted gown featuring a scenic landscape of the French Riviera. The look was put together by stylist Rhea Kapoor with designer Yash Patil and mural artist Basuri Chokshi.

Her upcoming films

On the work front, Bhatt recently announced a new production venture, the coming-of-age romantic comedy Don’t Be Shy. The film is written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji and will stream on Prime Video. It is being produced by Bhatt and her sister Shaheen Bhatt under their banner Eternal Sunshine Productions.

As an actor, Bhatt has Alpha and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War lined up for release.