Mumbai, September 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi has opened up about the changing landscape of Indian cinema, saying he is willing to embrace technological advancements but will not compromise on the kind of stories he believes in simply to follow audience trends.
In an exclusive interaction with IANS, the Ghatak director observed that contemporary films often feature stronger language and bolder content, while his own cinema has remained clean and rooted in family values.
Santoshi said he understands that today’s audiences have different expectations and shorter attention spans compared with viewers in the 1990s. He therefore intends to keep improving technically and use contemporary filmmaking tools to maintain the pace and engagement of his narratives.
“I will only do what I believe in. Technologically, I will try to constantly update myself. Improve myself as much as I can because today’s audience is not the same as it was in the 90s,” he said.
“Keeping in mind their excitement level, I will do my best technically so that they don’t get bored with the narrative. I will work hard on that, but content-wise, I will not do anything that people like,” Santoshi added.
The filmmaker also said he does not subscribe to the current trend of making sequels simply because they are popular, stressing that he would rather choose subjects that genuinely appeal to him.
“I will go by my heart. What my heart says. I will make that subject,” he concluded.
Santoshi recently reunited with Sunny Deol for the period drama Batwara 1947, which also featured Preity Zinta, Shabana Azmi, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh, Khushi Hajare, Kanikka Kapur, Waseem Rajput and Isha Sandhir in key roles.
Set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition of India, the film was reported to be inspired by Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai. Batwara 1947 released in cinemas on August 14 during the Independence Day weekend and received mixed reviews from critics and audiences.
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