Mrunal Thakur reacts to calls for boycotting Bollywood: Achha kaam karo, log dekhne aayenge

Amidst so much uncertainty, any film that manages to set the cash registers ringing is hailed. And when it also gets good reviews, you’re as happy as Mrunal Thakur. Her Telugu romance drama Sita Ramam has been doing well, amid this scenario where calls for boycotting films are commonplace.

She exclaims, “Fortunately, it is not just box office, but people are loving it too. Romance is an integral part of our lives, and I felt that romantic films were stopped being made. The kind of appreciation, and feedback I have been getting from actors from the south is just incredible. Nagarjuna sir said ‘you’re beautiful, one just falls in love with your character Sita’, to the point where his wife will scold him! I received compliments from these megastars, I don’t know what to say. Sometimes, even a thank you is less.”

With ‘pan Indian films’ being everyone’s favourite word in the industry today, what does she feel is working in favour of films from south and against Hindi films? Thakur questions in turn, “What is a pan Indian film first of all? It’s such a debatable topic. I am really happy to be part of this ‘Indian’ film, the fact that I have been chosen to play Sita. Today, what works is the content, audiences want to see food work, and not anything monotonous. I have been a part of Hindi and south films both. I totally understand anything you offer to the audience has to be versatile and authentic, and that’s what happens.”

Of late, there have been calls to not just boycott certain films, but even Bollywood, an entire film industry where millions of people earn their livelihood. Ask the actor whether she feels it’s justified to call for such boycotts, and she replies, “I just feel achha kaam karte raho, log aayenge aur dekhenge. I believe in good work. There’s the quote ki achha kaam karte raho, logon ka kaam hai kehna. I don’t know about others, but I am whatever I am because it my audience. Thank you to them for being honest. People should see the film, if you like it, you like it, if you don’t like it, it’s okay.”