Audience taste deteriorating, trash films earn Rs 200 cr: Tigmanshu Dhulia

There might be a conversation around mid-budget films doing exceptionally well at the box office but filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia believes such cases should be considered as an exception as films with "trash and filth" still continue to make money.

The filmmaker, who has helmed acclaimed films like "Paan Singh Tomar" and the "Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster" franchise, says contrary to popular belief, the taste of the audiences has deteriorated.

"I've seen the taste of the audience has changed. It's also segregated a bit. Earlier, we used to make one film and it catered to everybody. Now certain films will only be seen by a certain kind of people.

"The taste of the general audience, including the middle class and the upper middle class has deteriorated drastically," Tigmanshu told PTI.

The director said the change in audiences' liking is a reflection of the societal upheavals.

"There used to be a director called Dada Kondke, who was a super hit filmmaker. All his films used to do really well but they were watched by the frontbenchers, the labour class. No one from the respectable family used to go and watch those film.

"Now suddenly you see these 'Dhamaals' and all these films, whose trailers itself have so much trash, filth, earn Rs 200 crore. That means they are being watched by the multiplex audience."
"It is an exception, not the rule. In 2012, 'Kahaani', 'English Vinglish' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' also did really well. And then there was a gap of three-four years and then again last year was good. It's sporadic."
When asked whether he gets upset by the box-office scores of films he does not consider good, Tigmanshu said "not really."
"The content is changing, but you still have to have a hero, a heroine, friends. The way the story is told, that screenplay needs to change."