KOLKATA: Indian film industry is being plagued by “dumbing down of thought” and not taking risks, said filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, in an interactive session at the Bengal Club organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce

“There is no denying that dumbing down of thought which has taken place. The stakes have gone higher. The content has been dumbed down. We are not taking the risks that we used to take earlier,” said Mahesh Bhatt.

He feels that the Industry is in “crisis” with its freedom of expression being “threatened”.

“Indian cinema is going to be threatened. What is in jeopardy today is the right to say things the way I see it. The very breath of cinema is its freedom to speak fearlessly and unfortunately that is under fire,” said Bhatt.

“I feel now government of India has suddenly woken up to the new cinematography being put together now. As of now the Indian film industry is in great crisis because we are fighting fringe elements outside, the interest groups outside who use film industry products as planks to ride on to sell their own politics and do irreversible damage to us,” he added.

Highlighting the negative aspect of making content-based movies, he felt it was sure to stir up issues.”We are in serious serious curb now because if we make anything which is contentious then we are certain to have problems,” said Bhatt.

But compared to a Pakistan and/or Bangladesh, Bhatt feels Indian cinema is unique.

“What separates India from Pakistan or Bangladesh is that we have had free space – We have been allowed to make the kind of movies fearlessly. The new cinetamographic act is being discussed as we speak. There is also some kind of sensitising we need to do in the industry. The film industry also needs to go away from its old medieval mindset and respond to the change that’s taken place in the country.”

[With inputs from IANS]