Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar started Bollywood's NRI phase: Sooraj Barjatya
Filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya has credited his peers Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra for introducing the "NRI phase" in Hindi cinema. In a recent interview with ETimes, the Rajshri Productions director said Bollywood always worked in phases, but the "NRI phase" was ushered in by the Dharma Productions and Yash Raj Films honchos. Barjatya is currently gearing up for his next comeback directorial Uunchai's release.
Why does this story matter?
The economic liberalization of India led global players to penetrate the domestic market decades ago. It sparked a media boom and cinema became an instrumental medium. In the 1990s and 2000s, Chopra and Johar began making films with Western influence and brought "NRI style" to Indian cinema—interestingly, most of which were headlined by Shah Rukh Khan. This gave rise to a new Bollywood phase.
Phases and trends in Bollywood
Barjatya pointed out that the Hindi film industry has witnessed several significant phases over the years. He said in the late 1980s, love stories were a trend, then family dramas took over, and then came the NRI-style films. The veteran director also stated current films rooted in Indian culture becoming successful is also another phase. He noted these phases change as per viewers' demands.
Barjatya's love for culturally rooted films
Barjatya further expressed pleasure over films rooted in Indian ethos doing well in the current phase. He said, "Indians will be Indians at the end of the day. And I am very happy that Indian stories are being told." Notably, the filmmaker is known for his family dramas—most of which are collaborations with Salman Khan—which have always been traditional and pandered to Indian culture.
Will 'Uunchai' strike a chord with viewers?
Barjatya's Uunchai is an adventure drama that depicts a "tale of friendship." It stars Amitabh Bachchan, Danny Denzongpa, Boman Irani, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Sarika, Nafisa Ali, and Parineeti Chopra. For Uunchai, Barjatya moved out of his comfort zone to experiment with something new. With a stellar cast and a promising story, Uunchai seems to have the potential to live up to its name.
