Adivi Sesh Highlights Disparities in the Entertainment Industry at Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest
Humorous Take-
At the Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest, Telugu actor Adivi Sesh raised some important points about the disparities in the Indian entertainment industry.
"A lot of the decisions taken by streaming services are based out of Mumbai, and corporate India in general is based out of Mumbai," Sesh said. "So, we always found it interesting as South Indian actors that our film might make 3 or 4 times the money as a Hindi film might make. But it would be that person who would be approached for an ad or for a brand. We would have more of a following, we would have more of a collection for our film, more viewership on streaming service. Yet, it would have been the actor from here who is approached for that brand."
Sesh also shared an anecdote about how he was once denied an event at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hyderabad because they have a policy of only playing English or Hindi songs.
"Corporate India is still slow to wake up to the idea that these are all cultures celebrated together," Sesh said.
Sesh's comments are a reminder that the Indian entertainment industry is still very Mumbai-centric. Even though South Indian films often outperform Hindi films at the box office, South Indian actors are still often overlooked for opportunities.
But Sesh's comments were also funny in a way. He made a joke about how corporate India is still slow to wake up to the idea that there are other cultures besides Bollywood.
I think it's important to have a sense of humor about these things, because the entertainment industry can be a very competitive and cutthroat business. But it's also important to remember that there is more to India than just Mumbai. There are many talented actors and filmmakers from all over the country, and they should all have the same opportunities.
