Why did Mani Ratnam ask Hindi cinema to stop using the term ‘Bollywood’?

Ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam, who is currently gearing up for the grand release of the upcoming film Ponniyin Selvan 2, recently suggested that the term Bollywood shouldn’t be used. The director attended the second edition of the CII Dakshin Media and Entertainment Summit in Chennai and spoke about the impact of South Indian cinema and how Indian cinema is regarded only as Bollywood. 

When the conversation steered towards Indian cinema being constantly referred to as Bollywood in the West, Mani Ratnam said, “If Hindi cinema can stop calling themselves Bollywood, then people will stop identifying Indian cinema as Bollywood.” National Award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran echoed the same thought. He said, “I’m not a fan of the ‘woods’. Like Bollywood, Kollywood. We need to see it as Indian cinema on the whole.”

Director Vetrimaran and Kantara filmmaker Rishab Shetty were also part of the panel discussion. They spoke about the importance of marketing locally as globally and said stories need to represent India’s major population living on a daily basis. Lately, it is to be noted that rural and local stories like Kantara, Balagam, and others did wonders at the box office and with audiences.

Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 2 release

After the huge success of Mani Ratnam’s directorial venture Ponniyin Selvan 1, the team is all set for the release of its sequel. The first installment starring Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, and Trisha was released on 30 September 2022. It was highly appreciated for its storyline and the music, which was given by the Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman.

The second part of the 2022 blockbuster film is slated to release on April 28 and like the first part, this movie will also be multilingual.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 will see actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Chiyaan Vikram, Trisha Krishnan, Jayam Ravi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Prakash Raj, and others reprise their roles respectively. Composer AR Rahman, editor Sreekar Prasad, and cinematographer Ravi Varman are part of the technical crew.

ALSO READ: Vikram , Trisha, and the rest of The cast of Ponniyin Selvan 2 take a fun break between promotions