Vivek Agnihotri slams Donald Trump's 100% movie tariff, says ‘Indian film leaders must wake up, unite, and fight this threat'
US President Donald Trump's surprise announcement of a 100% tariff on all movies made outside the United States has triggered a wave of concern across the global film industry. In India, director Vivek Agnihotri has spoken out against the move, stating that it could push the country's struggling cinema sector toward complete collapse.
Trump calls foreign films a threat to US security
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that the American movie industry is 'dying a very fast death' due to 'a concerted effort by other nations' to lure filmmakers and studios with incentives. He framed the issue as a matter of national security and messaging.
'Hollywood, and many other areas within the USA, are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other nations and, therefore, a national security threat,' Trump wrote.
He then authorised the Department of Commerce and the US Trade Representative to begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff on all foreign-made movies.'We want movies made in America, again!' he added.
Agnihotri warns of collapse of Indian cinema
Responding quickly on X (formerly Twitter), Indian filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri criticised Trump's proposed policy.
'It is a disastrous move. If this absurdity prevails, India's struggling film industry will collapse entirely, with no one to save it,' he posted.
Agnihotri expressed concern that such a policy would severely impact the already ailing Indian film industry, making it harder for Indian cinema to reach international audiences.
A call to action for Indian film makers
Agnihotri urged Indian film leaders to act immediately instead of indulging in publicity or complacency.
'Indian film leaders must wake up, unite, and fight this threat instead of chasing paparazzi and self-glorification,' he wrote.
The filmmaker, known for directing The Kashmir Files and The Vaccine War, called on the Indian film fraternity to treat the situation with urgency and seriousness.
ALERT: Trump's 100% Movie Tariff Threatens Indian Cinema: Trump's 100% tariff on movies is a disastrous move. If this absurdity prevails, India's struggling film industry will collapse entirely, with no one to save it. Indian film leaders must wake up, unite, and fight this… pic.twitter.com/YmTxBWwkJv
Unclear scope of tariff implementation
According to Reuters, details of the tariff policy remain unclear. It is still uncertain whether the new tariff would apply to films released on streaming platforms in addition to those shown in theatres. There's also no clarity on whether the tariff would be calculated based on production cost or box office collections.
Trump's Hollywood strategy: Celebrities as ambassadors
The announcement comes months after Trump appointed actors Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone, and Mel Gibson as special ambassadors to Hollywood. He had said their job would be to bring Hollywood back 'bigger, better and stronger than ever before'.
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