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Actor Zakir Hussain, who is a well-known Bollywood and South film actor, has featured in movies and series like ‘Sarkar’, ‘Johnny Gaddaaar’, ‘Singham Returns’ and ‘Farzi’ among others. Zakir Hussain recently shared his thoughts on Rishab Shetty’s comment about Bollywood.
During a conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Zakir said he disagreed with Rishab’s statement.He stated, “Pata nahi main poori tarah se sahi nahi maanta hoon. Globally Bollywood ki wajah se aisa nahi hai. Right from Dilip Sahab, Amitabh Bachchan to now Shahrukh Khan unko young age mein itna bada honour milna aur sari cheez yeh kharab image ko kaun dega? “I don’t agree that our image in spoiled because of Bollywood. From Dilip Sahab and Amitabh Bachchan to now Shahrukh Khan, they have received big honours at such a young age. Who would give it to a bad image?)’
Zakri recalled an incident about Amitabh Bachchan and shared that Mr Bachchan was once sightseeing in Europe when he found himself short of money at a market. He assured the vendor that he would send the payment from India. The vendor then inquired about Mr. Bachchan’s identity, to which he responded, “I will tell you who I am. You just write a letter mentioning Amitabh Bachchan, India and it will reach at my place.“
He further talked about how the actors in Bollywood have made their name in Hollywood as well. Zakir stated that when he traveled to Morocco for a shoot, he discovered a theater where esteemed actresses such as Meena Kumari, Dilip Kumar, and Raj Kapoor had their films released. This theater held significance even in Afghanistan, as evidenced by the fan following of films like ‘Khuda Gawah’, as mentioned by Amitabh Bachchan himself. The reputation of Bollywood remains untarnished and has even transcended to Hollywood. For example, Kareena Kapoor is set to make her debut in Hollywood, while Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra have already made their mark there.
The actor further added, “I don’t think any South film actor has achieved this level except Dhanush. Great actors are successful in their own spheres. The difference is that there’s a fanatic fan following there; they treat their superstar like a deity. And that is for real as people die holding an electric wire for their stars there.”
Zakir emphasised how, despite filmmakers and actors having worked here for years, South films are just now beginning to gain recognition. He stated that the assertion that India’s reputation has been tarnished by Bollywood does not appear correct. The influence of South Indian films in the country can be attributed to their increasing popularity through dubbing. Over time, audiences have developed a genuine appreciation for these films. Furthermore, South Indian directors have also made significant contributions to the Indian film industry. Notably, actors such as Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan have been involved in successful projects even before this trend emerged.
He concluded, “Like Rati Agnihotri’s debut film was a big hit, which also starred Kamal Haasan. So, it’s incorrect to say Bollywood is the cause of any negative image. I don’t know on what basis he made this claim.”
For those unversed, Rishab Shetty recently won a National Film Award for his 2022 film ‘Kantara’. He said in an interview that Bollywood frequently presents India negatively. Actors and netizens were divided by this statement. He has even received criticism from many for making such a statement.
On the work front, Zakir will next be seen in ‘Murshid’ also featuring Tanuj Virwani and Kay Kay Menon. It tells the story of characters played by Menon and Hussain, who, after ‘retiring’ from the underworld, are compelled to take up arms.
During a conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Zakir said he disagreed with Rishab’s statement.He stated, “Pata nahi main poori tarah se sahi nahi maanta hoon. Globally Bollywood ki wajah se aisa nahi hai. Right from Dilip Sahab, Amitabh Bachchan to now Shahrukh Khan unko young age mein itna bada honour milna aur sari cheez yeh kharab image ko kaun dega? “I don’t agree that our image in spoiled because of Bollywood. From Dilip Sahab and Amitabh Bachchan to now Shahrukh Khan, they have received big honours at such a young age. Who would give it to a bad image?)’
Zakri recalled an incident about Amitabh Bachchan and shared that Mr Bachchan was once sightseeing in Europe when he found himself short of money at a market. He assured the vendor that he would send the payment from India. The vendor then inquired about Mr. Bachchan’s identity, to which he responded, “I will tell you who I am. You just write a letter mentioning Amitabh Bachchan, India and it will reach at my place.“
He further talked about how the actors in Bollywood have made their name in Hollywood as well. Zakir stated that when he traveled to Morocco for a shoot, he discovered a theater where esteemed actresses such as Meena Kumari, Dilip Kumar, and Raj Kapoor had their films released. This theater held significance even in Afghanistan, as evidenced by the fan following of films like ‘Khuda Gawah’, as mentioned by Amitabh Bachchan himself. The reputation of Bollywood remains untarnished and has even transcended to Hollywood. For example, Kareena Kapoor is set to make her debut in Hollywood, while Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra have already made their mark there.
The actor further added, “I don’t think any South film actor has achieved this level except Dhanush. Great actors are successful in their own spheres. The difference is that there’s a fanatic fan following there; they treat their superstar like a deity. And that is for real as people die holding an electric wire for their stars there.”
Zakir emphasised how, despite filmmakers and actors having worked here for years, South films are just now beginning to gain recognition. He stated that the assertion that India’s reputation has been tarnished by Bollywood does not appear correct. The influence of South Indian films in the country can be attributed to their increasing popularity through dubbing. Over time, audiences have developed a genuine appreciation for these films. Furthermore, South Indian directors have also made significant contributions to the Indian film industry. Notably, actors such as Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan have been involved in successful projects even before this trend emerged.
He concluded, “Like Rati Agnihotri’s debut film was a big hit, which also starred Kamal Haasan. So, it’s incorrect to say Bollywood is the cause of any negative image. I don’t know on what basis he made this claim.”
For those unversed, Rishab Shetty recently won a National Film Award for his 2022 film ‘Kantara’. He said in an interview that Bollywood frequently presents India negatively. Actors and netizens were divided by this statement. He has even received criticism from many for making such a statement.
On the work front, Zakir will next be seen in ‘Murshid’ also featuring Tanuj Virwani and Kay Kay Menon. It tells the story of characters played by Menon and Hussain, who, after ‘retiring’ from the underworld, are compelled to take up arms.
‘Murshid’ Trailer: Kay Kay Menon and Tanuj Virwani starrer ‘Murshid’ Official Trailer
