Critics biased against commercial films: Farah Khan

Jul 3, 2014 IANS

Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan, who is currently working on her next commercial venture "Happy New Year", feels the critics are biased towards "arty, slow and a bit boring" movies.

"It would be great if everyone likes the movie, critics and the audience. But I think there is a bias against commercial cinema. I know the critics are only doing their job, but there is a breed of critics that only likes slow and boring movies," the 49-year-old said here Wednesday on the sets of reality show "Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega."

She feels such critics should stop reviewing commercial films.

"So I think they should not review commercial films and someone who understands and enjoys commercial films should do it," she said.

Pointing her brother Sajid Khan's film "Humshakals" as an example, Farah said, " 'Humshakals' got terrible reviews but it did pretty well at the box office, so I rest my case. So did 'Ek Villain' also I think. I was in London at that time, but I heard the reviews were not great. But look at the box office."

However, she gives brownie points to the audience for not being influenced by the reviews.

"I am noticing that the critics today are liking only a particular type of film, which is arty, slow and a bit boring. They do not like commercial films at all. So if we follow only those four people, then the film industry will shut down," Farah said.

"Audiences watch a film using their own sensibility and if they like it, they go again. They don't go only by the critics," she added.

"Happy New Year" stars Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Sonu Sood and Boman Irani. It is being readied for a Diwali release this year.