Paresh Rawal lambastes luxury culture in multiplexes.
Paresh Rawal lambastes luxury culture in multiplexes.
Veteran actor Paresh Rawal lambastes the inflated ticket prices and luxury seating trends in cinema houses that includes PVRs too, saying cinema should be accessible, not elitist.
While he confirmed his return to Hera Pheri 3 amidst his recent interview, Paresh Rawal sharply criticized Bollywood’s current trajectory and expressed concern over overpriced multiplex tickets, indulgent recliner seating, and filmmakers’ failure to evolve with viewers’ refined tastes. Urging sincerity in storytelling, Rawal called for cinema that serves the people—not just the privileged.
Just as fans of Hera Pheri breathed a sigh of relief after Paresh Rawal confirmed his return to the iconic franchise, the veteran actor took a break from comedy to get real.
In a fiery and flagrant conversation, Paresh without mincing words called out some of the most glaring issues in Hindi cinema today.
On the escalating costs of watching a film, Rawal lamented how cinema outings have become inaccessible for the middle class. Using an everyday example, he pointed out that a family of five could easily shell out ₹5,000 to ₹6,000 for one movie night—without even being guaranteed satisfaction from the film itself. Add popcorn, ice cream and soda to the mix, and the cinema seems less like entertainment and more like a luxury.
Adding if the middle class shuns a producer’s film and only the rich class endorses it, then it’s wrong,” Rawal said, pointing to the disparity between the content offered and the price being paid. He applauded South Indian cinema for sticking to a more structured pricing system, where ticket prices rarely go beyond ₹200, making entertainment accessible and sustainable.
But the actor saved his sharpest barbs for the ‘Gold Class’ experience—recliner seats, pillow-laden lounges, and waiters wandering around mid-scene with snack trays. “You are supposed to watch a film while sitting, not lying down. You haven’t come to a spa, you’ve come to see a film!” he quipped, clearly unimpressed by the ‘platinum-plus’ upgrades now being passed off as standard viewing.
With the kind of wit only Paresh Rawal can deliver, he said, “Waiters keep roaming around. We have to tell them ‘hatt, hatt!’ Arre it’s a film, not a wedding event!” His critique was less about comfort and more about distraction and dilution of what going to the movies used to mean.
News Edit KV Raman
