At the third edition of Bollywood Hungama Style Icons Summit and Awards (BH Style Icons S3), Vidya Balan delivered a passionate and thought-provoking take on the evolution—and dilution—of Hindi cinema in a special masterclass titled “20 Glorious Years of ‘Shero’ Vidya Balan!” Speaking with honesty and insight, the powerhouse performer reflected on how Bollywood seems to be losing its cultural flavour in the quest for universal appeal.
Bollywood Hungama Style Icons Summit and Awards 2025: Vidya Balan believes Hindi Cinema has lost its essence; says, “We want Oscar nominations and Pushpa-level box office numbers”
“I think we’ve lost the essence of what is truly a Hindi film,” Vidya said. “In trying to be universal, I have a huge problem with this—we’re forgetting what makes our cinema so unique.”
Touching on a larger industry trend, she highlighted how the rising cost of film experiences is reshaping the content itself. “I recently heard an interesting perspective by Javed Akhtar. He said that cinema outings have become so expensive that filmmakers are tailoring content for that niche audience who can afford it. And then we complain about the lack of mass entertainers—but how will the masses even access them?”
Her most striking commentary, however, came when she defended the beloved traditions of Hindi cinema—grand lip-sync songs, dramatic storytelling, and synchronised dance numbers. “I don’t see why we should be doing away with lip-sync. What is the problem with 100 dancers doing the same step behind you? I love doing films like that. That is the idiom of the Hindi film. That is our language,” she said, earning a round of applause from the audience.
Balan also drew a powerful comparison between Hindi cinema and South Indian films, noting how the latter continue to stay rooted in their context while still achieving mass success. “South films are being true to context. They’re not trying to change their core to attract more people. But we—somehow—want Oscar nominations and Pushpa-level box office numbers. You can’t have it all.”
The Style Icons Summit and Awards 2025 presented by Virgio, driven by TVS Raider, powered by Nesterra, along with premium lingerie partner Amante, jewellery partner Caratlane, smile partner toothsi, style partner Biba, watches partner Helios, kitchen partner Prestige, beauty partner Mars, skincare partner Fixderma, snacking partner Happilo, footwear partner Red Chief, radio partner Radio City, glam partner Looks Salon, and gifting partner FnP.
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