Akshay, Priyadarshan call out lack of respect for comedy actors
What's the story
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and filmmaker Priyadarshan recently opened up about the lack of respect for the comedy genre in the film industry. In an interview with SCREEN, they discussed how actors and directors associated with this genre are often looked down upon. "Here, actors who do comedy don't get anything," said Kumar.
Disrespect to comedy
Priyadarshan said he had complained about this
Priyadarshan, known for his successful comedies, echoed Kumar's sentiments. He said, "I had complained about this. When you make a comedy film, you are not considered a good director." "They just look at you as someone who makes buffoonery. This is the kind of attitude people have in the film fraternity." "But the moment you make a serious film, people think, 'This man can direct.'"
Award disparity
Kumar pointed out award biases, too
At a recent India Today conclave, Kumar had also highlighted how comedy actors are never given the best actor awards. He told SCREEN, "When someone gets the best actor award, that person has done romance in the film, but they never say best romantic actor." "When someone plays a comedy role, he is given the best comic actor award."
Comedy's challenge
Comedy is a huge genre: Kumar
Kumar further emphasized the difficulty of comedy, saying, "You can ask the biggest of directors or actors, and everyone will tell you comedy is one of the most difficult things to do." "But in our industry and our award nights, the genre is not respected." He added that comedy is a huge genre and a skill that an actor possesses.
Unrecognized talent
He gave examples of Chaplin, Jackie Chan
Kumar also cited examples of comedy giants like Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Chan. "Can you not say Charlie Chaplin was a great actor? He was the best; he made people laugh or cry without saying a word. But he never got his due." "So many actors don't get their due, like Jackie Chan." "He falls, gets hurt, only to make people laugh, but no one ever told him what a great actor he is...Sadly, the due is not given."
Film update
On the work front for Kumar and Priyadarshan
Meanwhile, Kumar and Priyadarshan's new film Bhoot Bangla released on Friday. The horror-comedy was earlier scheduled to release on April 10, but was pushed because of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. The makers also held paid previews for the film on Thursday, April 16.