Abhishek Banerjee is having a dream run. The actor is basking in the box office success of his latest release Stree 2, which has grossed over Rs 800 crore worldwide. Then, his other film released on the same day, Vedaa, has earned him critical acclaim. Talk about best of both words. In a candid freewheeling chat with DNA, the actor speaks about critical appreciation vs audience love, the democratisation of Bollywood, and why box office numbers fascinate him.
Ask him to choose between critical appreciation and the love of the audience, and Abhishek wastes no time in choosing the audience. “Critically, the appreciation we get for our performance varies. It’s individual opinion and no matter how good you are, there will always be some people who won’t find your performance at par. But when we begin acting, that time we are only looking at being accepted by the audience. We want love from the public. That is important,” he explains.
The actor says that the popularity among the masses is what makes an actor’s career. “There are times when you are doing everything right but the audience is not noticing. The critics are calling you great. But you feel the ones who I really want to connect with are not here. Let me tell you the truth, critical appreciation se paet nahi bharta (critical appreciation does not feed you). No matter how much critics praise you, producers will only give you work when the audience appreciates you,” says Abhishek, adding, “Also the joy of performing in a field like this is always for the audience. The joy you get when people love your acting, that is definitely a different high.”
Abhishek reflects on the chance of playing contrasting characters in very different films back to back – a comic relief with a heart-of-gold in Stree 2 and a ruthless killer in Vedaa. The actor says, “When we were younger, this is the kind of time we were dreaming of. We wanted an industry where everyone was accepted and acting was at the forefront. Not everyone can run fast, do horse riding. Acting was always kept secondary. People would say we need performance but also need the flair. They would say only acting cannot make films work. I have heard the term ‘cater to the audience’ so much that I am bored. Why are we deciding what the audience is looking for? Why are we not creating what we want to and then take it as a challenge to impress the audience with that creativity?”
The focus on celeb spotting and tabloid culture does not impress Abhishek. He points out bluntly, “We have turned cinema into tabloid journalism. We are no longer interested in how a film has been made but do want to know that the actor who works in this film eats at which restaurant. If we will trivialise this art form so much, the public won’t take it seriously.”
Stree 2’s massive success – Rs 800 crore globally and Rs 560 crore in India – has been the talk of the tinsel town. Abhishek says he is enjoying all the box office discussions. “Luckily, my first film (Stree) did Rs 130 crore (Rs 180 crore worldwide). Then I did Dream Girl and Bala and both those films crossed Rs 100 crore as was Dream Girl 2. Now Stree 2 is over Rs 500 crore. So I have been quite lucky with box office numbers,” he says with a smile.
But the box office success is a means to a different end, the actor says. “I really believe that no matter how big an artiste I am, my first responsibility is towards the audience. They should be entertained. I don’t want to preach to them. If they are discussing the film, the story, and my character, my job is done,” he says.
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