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According to a media release, he adds, “I think that Indian
cinema got its recognition overseas because of its unique content…
there is a great deal of interest now in India beyond seeing films.
The economy has opened up and we are being looked upon as a powerful
nation… I believe that every time a nation progresses economically
and changes economically, everything about it becomes fashionable
and likable. Our food suddenly becomes world-widely acceptable,
the clothes that we wear, the music that we make and the films that
we make. So I think that the acceptability of our films is now largely
due to the fact that we are a growing economic power.”
Expressing his views on how interest in Indian cinema can be increased
in other countries such as the US, he says: “Certainly a better
system of marketing [is needed]. I think our systems are very individualistic,
we’re perhaps not aware of the potential of how films need
to be marketed as do the Americans, because they are really masters
of it… I think now as visibility improves, we’ll have
to get our house in order, get our management procedures in place,
so that they can be marketed well and have a greater reach.”
Asked if he feels that Indian films have to be less rigid in their
approach to issues such as sex and morality in order to gain international
acceptability, Bachchan replies, “That isn’t the only
ingredient that makes them acceptable in other parts of the world
– I think it’s more to do with your screenplay and your
story and the content. Yes, Western cinema does have a greater permissiveness
than Indian cinema, but I don’t think that is a constant and
I don’t see any necessity for loosening our morals, so to say,
just to accommodate a new territory.”
Bachchan, who has also had a brief stint in Indian politics as
a Member of Parliament, says he would not like to go back to politics,
adding: “I don’t know politics, I just don’t know
it... it was an emotional decision, and I felt that emotion really
has no place in politics.”
Bachchan is also the goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and he speaks
about how a celebrity’s involvement has added to the effectiveness
of the organisation’s cause. Quoting the example of the hugely
successful polio campaign he has been a part of, he says: “The
number of polio cases came down to almost four or five instead of
3,000, and the number of mothers going to the booths increased almost
by a thousand-fold…. if by my association with UNICEF we can
bring about some relief for India, then I’m happy to do something.”
Asked why he doesn’t like the Indian film industry to be referred
to as Bollywood, he says: “I feel it’s a bit demeaning
to the Indian film industry. It’s a word that doesn’t
sound very good.”
On whether he considers retiring from the film business, he says:
“Someday I will, of course, because it’s impossible to
retain your physicality for the rest of your life, and movie-making
depends a lot on your physical demeanour. Once my face loses shape
and my body loses shape, I’ll retire, but as long as it’s
working and it’s moving I’d like to carry on working.”
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