Hansal Mehta has given a heartfelt shoutout to Bollywood's rising talents. On Monday (March 10), the filmmaker wrote an elaborate note on X (formerly Twitter) supporting newcomers Adarsh Gourav, Vedang Raina, Ishaan Khatter, Sparsh Shrivastava and more.
Hansal Mehta, in his post, claimed that “Hindi Cinema Needs a Reset.” He said, “For those predicting doom for Bollywood—pause. The industry isn't dying. It's waiting to be disrupted. The problem isn't the audience losing interest. It's that investment is being funneled into the safe, the recycled, the formulaic.”
According to the filmmaker, the future of Hindi cinema “lies in betting on raw talent, bold storytelling, and directors who can take a script and direct the hell out of it. The past few years have proved: stars don't necessarily bring audiences; conviction does.”
Hansal Mehta put his faith in the fresh generation of actors, filmmakers and writers. The director stated that they are the ones who can “change the game”.
He said, “It will take producers with vision, platforms that back stories over statistics, and directors who demand authenticity over familiarity. It will need solid financial discipline, intelligent exhibition strategy, marketing that is well thought out and not the template paid publicity that is making publicists rich and the industry much poorer.”
The filmmaker heaped praise on young actors whom he believed to be the “future” of Bollywood. He called Adarsh Gourav a “shape-shifter” and “lambi race ka ghoda (in it for the long run).”
For Hansal Mehta, Jigra fame Vedang Raina is the “screen stealer” and has the “potential to break out as a serious leading man”, if given the right script. The filmmaker dubbed Ishaan Khatter an “Untapped Dynamo” whose “energy” and “instincts” were right on point.
Zahan Kapoor, Aditya Rawal, Abhay Verma and Laapataa Ladies actor Sparsh Shrivastava also made it to the list. Raghav Juyal and Lakshay, who worked together in the Netflix action entertainer Kill, received special recognition from Hansal Mehta as well.
Long Post :
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) March 10, 2025
Hindi Cinema Needs a Reset
For those predicting doom for Bollywood—pause. The industry isn't dying. It's waiting to be disrupted. The problem isn't the audience losing interest. It's that investment is being funneled into the safe, the recycled, the formulaic.
The…
For those unaware, Hansal Mehta's statement comes right after director Vivek Agnihotri's “Bollywood is in shambles” comment on Instagram. Take a look:
Hansal Mehta's last project, The Buckingham Murders, was headlined by Kareena Kapoor. The film is currently streaming on Netflix.
Meanwhile, Vivek Agnihotri's The Delhi Files is set to release on August 15.
