“R Balki Calls Recent Bollywood Blockbusters ‘Damn Boring’”

Filmmaker R Balki, known for movies like Paa and Pad Man, recently shared his views on the current state of Bollywood. Speaking at an event at MIT World Peace University, Balki said some of the recent blockbusters from the past four to five years have been “damn boring.”

“A few blockbusters in recent years have been the worst films,” he said. “Not just from an intellectual or artistic angle but even from the entertaining ‘paisa vasool’ perspective. The fun has completely gone.”

Balki compared today’s movies with classic hits by Manmohan Desai like Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and Naseeb (1981), saying those films brought joy and excitement. He added that modern blockbusters feel more like “projects” focused on marketing and profit rather than genuine storytelling. “By the time people realize the film is bad, it has already made its money,” he said.

Balki also addressed the poor box office performance of his recent film, Ghoomer, which starred Saiyami Kher and Abhishek Bachchan.