Abhishek Banerjee says film franchises are like 'fixed deposits'
What's the story
The Indian film industry is dominated by franchise films, especially in Bollywood. From horror-comedy universes to spy sagas, the landscape is filled with sequels and reboots. While critics and sometimes fans debate this trend, actor Abhishek Banerjee is a strong supporter of it. In a recent interview with Variety India, he explained why he supports them.
Career highlights
Banerjee's journey in the world of franchises
Banerjee has been a part of two major film and streaming franchises. He plays Janaa in Maddock's supernatural universe, which started with Stree and includes films like Bhediya, Munjya, and Thamma. He also plays Compounder in Prime Video's Mirzapur franchise. He will reprise his role in Mirzapur: The Movie, releasing this September.
Actor's perspective
His take on financial success of franchise films
When asked if he finds franchise films repetitive and limiting, Banerjee was unapologetic. He told Variety India, "I come from the middle class. I am very happy that these franchise films are happening, okay? They are my FDs (fixed deposits), so I have no problems." "Please cast me in as many franchises as you can. Keep giving me money, and I'll try to do my best."
Actor's ambition
On balancing commercial hits with indie projects
Banerjee, who started as a casting director and co-owns a casting agency, has his own definition of fame and success. He juggles commercial hits like Stree 2 with indie films such as Stolen and Ajji. "I want them [fans] to know me for my acting and not for what I am outside of acting," he said. "It's a long way to go, but this is the beginning of it."
Future endeavors
Upcoming projects of Banerjee
Banerjee has several exciting projects in the pipeline, including his Tamil debut in Legacy alongside R Madhavan. He will also feature in a short film in the Lust Stories 3 anthology, opposite Konkona Sen Sharma. He was recently seen in the Netflix film Toaster, co-starring Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra.