'We are going through a great phase, but...’ Prithviraj opens up about Malayalam cinema

Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, currently in the spotlight for his latest release Sarzameen, believes the slump in Hindi cinema is only temporary.

In an interview with IANS, the Lucifer director noted that while Malayalam cinema is enjoying a successful run, he is mindful that this positive phase won’t last forever, just as the current downturn in Hindi cinema is not permanent.

“So firstly, it's not that we have never had a time or phase where we've also struggled for content. There have been times. I'm experienced enough to know that nothing is permanent. Right now, we are going through a great phase in Malayalam cinema in terms of content creation. And I hope that it's a phase that will last forever. But I've done this long enough to know it won't. There will be phases," he said.

The actor shared that the Malayalam cinema has learnt one thing the hard way: “you will have to respect and trust the audience”.

He further mentioned, “The audience is probably way more intelligent than you give credit to them for. So if you actually choose a story, whatever story it might be, and you make it honestly, and you make it purely for what the story demands, the audience will most likely end up liking it and appreciating it”.

The actor said that the problem starts when makers start setting up projects and do not make cinema, and this mistake is not exclusive to Hindi films, Malayalam cinema too had its share of such things.

“I think we go wrong more often when we try to design projects rather than make cinema. We've all made that mistake. I've also made that mistake. And we'll again repeat those mistakes. That's what cinema is. So I'm sure it will keep happening. And also, it's not that every film made in Malayalam is great. We also have our off days. We also have our off-colour films. That will keep happening”, he added. IANS