Shekhar Kapur, Vivek Agnihotri Call Out Donald Trump's 100 Per Cent Film Tariff

News18

05-05-2025

Last Updated:
Donald Trump announced 100 per cent tariffs on Hollywood films made outside the US.
US President Donald Trump on Monday authorised the Department of Commerce to impose a 100 percent tariff on 'any and all movies" made outside the United States. In a May 5 post, Trump confirmed that the department, along with the Office of the US Trade Representative, will enforce this new measure.
The 78-year-old also lamented that the American film industry is 'dying a very fast death" and criticised how other countries have been 'offering all sorts of incentives to draw" filmmakers and studios away from the US.
'This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda," he wrote on Truth Social. With the announcement now making waves across the globe, it seems to have arrived as a devastating blow for Indian cinema.
In response to the tariffs, filmmakers Shekhar Kapur and Vivek Agnihotri have voiced their concerns on social media, calling out the decision. Kapur, known for directing films like Mr India and Bandit Queen, took to X and explained how most of Hollywood films' collections come from outside the country, and tariffs will just do the opposite. 'Over 75% of the box office of Hollywood films comes from outside the US. And a significant part of the budget of those films is spent outside the US. President Trump's imposition of a 100% tariff on all films imported into the US may encourage Hollywood to move outside the US! Quite the opposite of what he intended," he tweeted.
Over 75% of box office of Hollywood films come from outside the US. And significant part of the budget of those films are spent outside the USPresident Trump's imposition of 100% tarif on all films imported into the US may encourage Hollywood to move outside the US!
Quite the…
— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) May 5, 2025
Vivek Agnihotri, who directed The Kashmir Files, called the decision a 'disastrous move," stating that the Indian film industry will collapse. Resharing Trump's post on X, he wrote, '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 threat instead of chasing paparazzi and self-glorification."
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
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) May 5, 2025
Veteran producer Mukesh Bhatt said, as per the Times Of India, 'Trump has become a joke. It cannot [go through]. It's wrong business. America is the most expensive country on the planet. And it makes no business sense for any producer. Forget Indian producers. Even a Hollywood producer can't afford to shoot in America. You're not helping, you're destroying Hollywood."
Bhatt continued, 'In India, we make films for the Indian diaspora. To release in America, I would need to shoot in America, which I never will."
It is yet to be seen if tariffs will also be applicable to streaming services and theatrical collections.
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