Prakash Raj laments ‘loss of roots’ in mainstream Hindi cinema at Kerala Literature Festival

Veteran actor Prakash Raj on Saturday took a jibe at mainstream Hindi cinema, saying it has lost its authenticity and emotional connection with audiences, even as Malayalam and Tamil films continue to prioritise strong, content-driven storytelling.

Speaking at the ninth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival, Raj compared the current trajectory of Hindi cinema with what he described as rooted and socially engaged narratives emerging from the southern film industries. His remarks come amid wider debates within the Indian film fraternity over commercialisation and the changing nature of popular cinema.

“In the present context, I feel Malayalam and Tamil cinema are making very strong films,” Raj reportedly said. “Hindi cinema, on the other hand, has lost its roots. Everything looks beautiful, wonderful, like plastic, as you see in the Madame Tussauds museum.”

The actor praised Malayalam and Tamil cinema for preserving strong, story-led narratives, while pointing to what he described as a growing tilt in Hindi films towards visual spectacle at the expense of substance. Describing many recent Hindi films as ‘fake’, he argued that commercial considerations have increasingly taken precedence over genuine storytelling.

Raj also pointed to the emergence of young Tamil directors addressing socially relevant themes, including Dalit issues, as a source of optimism. “We still have stories to tell. The new young directors of Tamil cinema are talking about Dalit issues, and that gives so much hope,” he said.

Reflecting on the challenges facing Hindi cinema, the 60-year-old actor-filmmaker linked its perceived decline to the post-multiplex era, when films began catering largely to urban audiences. He argued that this shift weakened the industry’s connection with large sections of the country.

“After multiplexes, the Bombay film industry started making films only for multiplexes. Very cute films and things like that, because they were running well,” he said. “They went into that Page 3 culture, and with that lost touch with rural Rajasthan and Bihar.”

Raj’s comments echo concerns raised by several artistes and critics about the increasing commercialisation of Hindi cinema and its impact on narrative depth and social relevance.

The four-day Kerala Literature Festival features more than 400 speakers, including Nobel laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Abhijit Banerjee, astronaut Sunita Williams, novelist Kiran Desai, essayist Pico Iyer, Jnanpith awardee Pratibha Ray, sports stars Rohan Bopanna and Ben Johnson, and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales.