Film critic and journalist Anupama Chopra took the stage at the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters 2025 with actor Vishak Nair for a lively discussion titled 'Indian Cinema Beyond Bollywood'. Marking her first visit to MBIFL, she shared her excitement about being part of the festival surrounded by passionate lovers of literature and cinema.

She spoke about her deepening appreciation for Malayalam cinema which began during the pandemic.

"I fell in love with Malayalam movies watching 'Kumbalangi Nights'," she said, and added that recent films like 'Ullozhukku' and the Malayalam cast of 'All We Imagine As Light' continue to impress her.

The conversation then turned to women’s representation in Indian cinema. In the early years, she recalled, female presence was so minimal that it wasn’t even questioned. Anupama highlighted her six-year collaboration with Amazon Prime Video on 'O Womaniya' -- a project dedicated to analysing and improving women’s representation in Indian entertainment. 

While there have been small victories, she insisted that real transformation is still a long way off and it is far too soon to celebrate. Touching on this slow yet steady progress, she applauded the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) for their efforts in pushing for change.

She was also quick to challenge the popular idea of Pan-Indian cinema, calling it a construct. 

"It doesn’t exist. A true pan Indian film isn’t just about bringing actors from different industries together. It’s about the strength of the story," she said.

Citing films like 'Roja' by Mani Ratnam and works by Shankar, she emphasised that compelling narratives, not casting choices, define a film’s nation-wide and universal appeal.

Her passion for cinema was evident when she addressed the topic of film criticism. She dismissed the trend of interval time reviews, arguing that critic should come from a place of love and appreciation, not snap judgments.

The session ended on a lighthearted note as she spoke about her love for Shah Rukh Khan.

"I screamed in the theater when I heard 'Naam toh suna hoga' in 'Pathaan'," she laughed.

She confessed that she loves watching movies, and does it for the pure sake of joy. While her husband -- filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra -- critically dissects films, she admitted, "I just want to enjoy them."