When Ajay-Rohit recalled getting slammed for making 'trash cinema'
What's the story
Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty, one of the most successful actor-director duos in Hindi cinema, opened up about the class divide in Bollywood during a 2014 interview. The duo discussed how critics used to label their films, like Golmaal, to be "trash cinema," but later sought collaborations with Shetty. Despite facing criticism, Shetty humorously compared himself to Amitabh Bachchan's character from Deewar, content with making films for his audience.
Class divide discussion
Devgn and Shetty's take on getting slammed
During a promotional interview for Singham Returns, Devgn and Shetty were asked if a class divide exists within Bollywood. Devgn admitted he hadn't faced the issue but had heard people call Golmaal "trash cinema." He pointed out the irony that those same people later approached Shetty to direct films for them, realizing they needed such so-called "trash cinema" to stay relevant in the industry.
Director's defense
Shetty's response to criticism and comparison to Bachchan
Shetty, who also hosts the popular reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi, said he has no ego or arrogance about his work. He believes he's "simply making films for his audience." Referring to earlier criticism from the "elite" crowd, Shetty humorously compared himself to Bachchan's "bad guy" character from Deewar, calling the critics Nirupa Roy and the elite Shashi Kapoor. He concluded by saying he's happy being Bachchan—the so-called bad guy—at the end of the day.
Box office revival
Shetty's success with 'Sooryavanshi' and future projects
In November 2021, Shetty's Sooryavanshi revived the Indian box office, earning nearly ₹200cr, as per ET, after theaters reopened nationwide following a two-year COVID-19 lockdown. The duo also collaborated on another film in the cop universe, Singham Again, which turned out to be a fair success last year.