These are dark times, you become a voice in wilderness: Mahesh Bhatt on mainstream entertainment

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt says the very nature of the mainstream entertainment business is to get maximum attention, and with the establishment and rapid growth of social media, the situation has only worsened.

Bhatt was at a panel discussion with Kapil Sibal on Saturday, where he discussed the current state of entertainment in media and called it nothing but “dark times”.

“The very nature of the mainstream entertainment business is to get maximum accolades and attention. Ever since we stepped into this digital age and there was social media, the power of the establishment to muzzle you up, to gang up and go after you is so enormous that you are a voice in the wilderness,” he said.

The filmmaker, who is known for films such as “Saaransh”, “Sadak” and “Aashiqui”, added, “You are actually going out to quote numbers, and even before you begin, you’re crushed. So I would say that these are dark times.”

Bhatt also expressed concern about algorithms and artificial intelligence that make people play safe, stifling passionate ideas. He noted how earlier those who dared to speak would get isolated.

“There were those ready to jump off the cliff for an idea. They were so consumed by passion. Now, algorithms, everybody wants to play it safe. Now it’s AI. So I think my concerns are that... as it is, we were thoughtless,” he said.

“There were very few movies that could stand up and speak. Those who dared to speak were isolated...And then there would be wisdom dished out to you, saying that if you want to say something so passionately, write a poem or write a book,” he added.