Ishaan Khatter Says Bollywood’s Formula of Making Movies Has Been ‘Thwarted’

2022 was not easy for Bollywood. From Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha to Akshay Kumar’s Raksha Bandhan and Vijay Deverakonda’s Liger; several movies failed to impress the audience and did not leave a mark at the box office. Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter’s horror-comedy Phone Bhoot was no different. Released on November 4, the film earned only a little over Rs 17 crores worldwide. Over a month after the release, Ishaan Khatter has now explained that the viewing habits of people have changed drastically and added that it’s the responsibility of the actors to understand this shift.

“The viewing habits of people have changed. A lot of people are watching films on streaming platforms as opposed to stepping out into theatres. People are making choices, and that’s something we, as actors, have to learn. We don’t know what type of films people would prefer to watch at home, rather than on the big screen,” he told Hindustan Times.

The young actor further elaborated that Bollywood should not stick to a formula when it comes to movie making. He also shared that the filmmaker should only focus on making ‘good movies’ and nothing else. “There was a notion that there’s a certain formula that works. That has now been thwarted. The best bet is to follow your gut creatively and to try and make a good film. I hope more people focus on making a good film, and worry about the rest later. That’s the optimistic way to look at it,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ishaan Khatter has recently wrapped up the shooting of his upcoming movie, Pippa. It is a heroic tank battle film that underscores the bravery of Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta (played by Ishaan Khatter), a veteran of the 45th Cavalry tank squadron, who, along with his siblings, fought on the eastern front during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.