Mani Ratnam suggests Hindi cinema to stop using term ‘Bollywood’; calls for recognition of Indian cinema as a whole

Renowned filmmaker Mani Ratnam recently expressed his opinion on the constant use of the term ‘Bollywood’ to refer to the Indian film industry. Speaking at the CII Dakshin Media and Entertainment Summit in Chennai, the director urged Hindi cinema to stop calling itself Bollywood, stating that it would help people recognize Indian cinema as a whole.

Mani Ratnam’s sentiment was echoed by National Award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran, who also called for Indian cinema to be viewed as a collective entity rather than being segmented into ‘woods’ like Bollywood or Kollywood.

The panel discussion also highlighted the importance of marketing films both locally and globally, while emphasizing the need for stories that represent the daily lives of India’s major population. The success of recent rural and local stories like Kantara and Balagam were cited as examples.

Meanwhile, Mani Ratnam is gearing up for the release of the highly anticipated sequel to his directorial venture Ponniyin Selvan. The first instalment, which starred Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, and Trisha, was released in September 2022 and received critical acclaim for its storyline and music by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman.

The second part of the multilingual film, set to release on April 28, will see the return of the original cast along with new additions such as Sobhita Dhulipala and Aishwarya Lekshmi. AR Rahman, editor Sreekar Prasad, and cinematographer Ravi Varman are also part of the technical crew.

Ratnam’s suggestion to stop using the term ‘Bollywood’ may spark a larger conversation on the need to recognize and celebrate the diversity and richness of Indian cinema as a whole.