Chitrangda Singh on what lacks in Hindi films: There's more time spend on slow motions than the actual content
Chitrangda Singh recently completed 20 years in the Hindi film industry and till date, the actor is finding new avenues to sink her teeth into. Last month, she made her web series debut with filmmaker Neeraj Pandey's Khakee The Bengal Chapter. When prodded why it took her so long to make her foray in this format, Chitrangda Sing insists it was because of the subpar writing offered to her before this.
'The writing has to be so good for the web as it's not just about one person. A series has so many characters and it's a collective effort for that to work. Everyone's arc and chatacterisation has to work together. It's not a feature, spearheaded just one person who is carrying the film,' she says, adding that the long format doesn't rely on the peripherals that feature film thrive on.
The 48-year-old adds, 'There are no crutches of a song or slow motion shots. It's purely dependent on the writing, acting and the execution. In feature films nowadays, there is no time, everything is so cut to cut. There's more time spend on slow motions than the actual content. Thus, I was always very scared about the OTT space. I did get offered quite a few series, but I always felt that they weren't written well enough. That's one of the reasons I stayed away. This is a very difficult format to be on and for an actor to be that good throughout is a challenge as it depends on a lot of factors.'
With Khakee, she found the same freedom and scope of exploration that she did with her debut film Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. 'I started with something very similar with my first film. But for some reason, these kinds of parts don't get written that much. I would have loved to do this kind of work more because naturally, I steer towards characters which are more complex, more human and more flawed. Even with this character in Khakee, while she is the leader of opposition, she also has a strong emotional graph. To play someone who is struggling with pain, ambition, love and idealism, I found it very interesting,' she insists.
Chitrangda wishes to get more such parts written for her in the web space. 'It gives you a lot more time to explore your characters as the makers invest that time in it. The long format is the place if you want to hone your skill. I have tasted blood now but now I have to look for something that feels just as good,' she ends.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Janhvi Kapoor stuns in a jacket inspired by mom Sridevi's film: 'Mumma is like an angel fairy princess...'
Janhvi Kapoor paid tribute to her mother, Sridevi, by wearing a custom denim jacket inspired by the film Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari. She expressed her admiration for the movie and her mother's performance after rewatching the re-released print. Janhvi is currently enjoying a successful phase in her career with several upcoming projects, including Devara: Part 1 and Param Sundari. Janhvi Kapoor recently took to social media to pay a heartfelt tribute to her legendary mother, Sridevi , blending nostalgia and style in a unique way. By wearing a custom denim jacket inspired by Sridevi's iconic film Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari, Janhvi not only honoured her mother's cinematic legacy but also shared her deep emotional connection to the beloved cult classic. In her Instagram post, Janhvi expressed deep admiration not only for the jacket but also for the film itself, which holds a cherished place in her heart. Check out the post here: She captioned, 'Obsessed with this jacket!!!! Obsessssssssed with this movie!!!! I had the pleasure of rewatching the rereleased print a couple days back and was reminded of the magic created by the whole team," she wrote. Recalling her mother's ethereal screen presence, she added, 'Mumma is like an angel fairy princess and so funny and so cute. Chiranjeevi Konidela sir and his inimitable humour, bravado and swagger and both of them together Raghavendra sirs vision Amrish Puri sir the music, sets, costumes, story!!! All the actors!!!!!" she continued. Janhvi also lauded the team behind the film's revival, saying, 'The revival of this new print couldn't have been executed by more able hands and is a gift to cinema lovers today, it felt like a visual spectacle that would give our contemporary films a run for their money'. The cult classic Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari was recently re-released in theaters, giving Janhvi the special chance to relive her mother's iconic performance on the big screen. On the professional front, Janhvi Kapoor is enjoying a successful phase. She was most recently seen in Devara: Part 1 alongside Jr NTR and has a packed slate of upcoming projects. Her next films include Param Sundari with Sidharth Malhotra , Homebound featuring Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari with Varun Dhawan , and Peddi starring Ram Charan. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Yuvika Chaudhary REACTS to Prince Narula's link up rumours with Nora Fatehi during Bigg Boss 9: 'When you're young, working, and single...'
Yuvika Chaudhary addressed rumors linking Prince Narula to Nora Fatehi during Bigg Boss 9, emphasizing the difference between on-screen perceptions and real-life understanding. She values Prince's emotional honesty and acknowledges his past experiences, believing it fosters a stronger, more relaxed relationship. Yuvika appreciates that Prince has lived fully, ensuring no future regrets, and cherishes their friendship-turned-marriage built on open communication. Yuvika Chaudhary opened up about the swirling rumours linking her husband, Prince Narula, to actress Nora Fatehi during their Bigg Boss 9 days. In a candid conversation, she reflected on how perceptions can often be misleading and shares her honest take on love, trust, and understanding beyond the camera's lens. When asked about handling the rumours before marrying the Roadies actor, Yuvika told Bollywood Bubble that people often only see what someone chooses to show on screen. However, meeting the person in real life reveals a much deeper and better side. She acknowledged that nobody is perfect, and true understanding comes from personal experiences, which can never be fully captured on screen. She compared it to friendship—only by spending time with someone do you truly get to know them. She mentioned that in today's world, people often judge others without really knowing them. However, she chose not to judge Prince and instead saw him as a hardworking person who is open with his emotions—whether it's anger or love, he expresses it fully. While this can lead to challenges, she accepted it as part of his true personality and felt she understood the kind of person he really is. Yuvika further shared that initially, she felt the need to appear a certain way on screen, dealing with rumors and link-ups. But over time, she realized that when you're young, working, and single, it's your own life to live. It's only when you're with someone that you truly see their loyalty and real character. She wanted a partner who had experienced life fully, so there would be no regrets later. She believes that when people feel restricted, they crave freedom even more. So, she wants her partner to have the freedom to explore and grow, feeling relaxed in personal life. She knows he has traveled a lot and lived fully, and she's aware of his journey. She also joked that they started out as friends, sharing open conversations where she even teased him about his girlfriends. That connection grew naturally, and neither of them expected it would lead to marriage. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bollywood vs South cinema: Ram Gopal Varma says Amitabh Bachchan was why Rajinikanth and Chiranjeevi became stars
Ram Gopal Varma has brought a candid perspective to the conversation around the early growth of South Indian cinema , claiming that much of its success during the 1970s and 1980s stemmed from remakes of Amitabh Bachchan's iconic Hindi films. In a detailed interview with IndiaTV Showbiz , the filmmaker stated that all four major Southern industries—Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam—were deeply influenced by the Bollywood superstar's work. He specifically named actors like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, NT Rama Rao, and Rajkumar as beneficiaries of this trend, noting that many of their career-defining roles were recreations of Bachchan's celebrated performances. According to him, these remakes contributed directly to their transformation into cultural icons and, eventually, near-mythical figures among fans. Bachchan's Absence and the Southern Boom Varma highlighted that during Amitabh Bachchan's five-year hiatus in the 1990s, the landscape of Indian cinema saw a shift. While Bollywood entered a period where music labels started financing films primarily to promote their soundtracks—citing Maine Pyar Kiya as a pivotal example—the South Indian industries stayed true to the mass-entertainment format, continuing to produce 'masala' films modeled on Bachchan's earlier style. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรดทองCFDsกับโบรกเกอร์ที่เชื่อถือได้| เปิดบัญชีวันนี้ IC Markets สมัคร Undo 'The South never stopped making the so-called masala films,' Varma remarked, suggesting that this consistent approach was central to cementing the stardom of leading South actors. The remakes weren't simply copies, he implied, but vehicles that allowed regional stars to become household names and, eventually, 'demigods.' Bollywood's Urban Edge vs. Southern Roots The director also pointed out a key difference in how filmmakers from both regions evolved. He said that Bollywood directors, particularly in the '90s, had a more global cinematic awareness, partly due to their fluency in English and urban backgrounds. In contrast, many Southern filmmakers, according to him, were less exposed to international cinema and operated with a focus on grassroots storytelling. 'They're very close to the ground root,' he said, implying that their content remained more accessible and audience-driven. The Pushpa Incident and Preconceived Notions Ram Gopal Varma also recounted a striking anecdote from the time leading up to the release of Pushpa: The Rise, directed by Sukumar and starring Allu Arjun. He said that a producer, whom he did not identify, watched the film a few days before its release and strongly doubted its reception. According to Varma, the producer predicted that audiences would reject the film outright—not because of the actor's performance, but due to the unconventional nature of the character, who chewed paan instead of fitting the usual six-pack-hero mold. 'He was not referring to the actor,' Varma clarified. 'They are so used to good-looking six-pack heroes… that they can't comprehend a hero chewing paan.' He noted that such criticism often stems from industry professionals projecting their own assumptions onto audiences, rather than engaging with the actual substance of the film. A Shared Culture of Adaptation Varma's remarks underscore a rarely acknowledged truth: while Bollywood is often criticized today for its over-reliance on remakes, the Southern industries once followed a similar trajectory. In those earlier decades, original scripts were a rarity across languages. As he put it, when a fresh concept—regardless of the language—achieved success, others quickly adopted and adapted it for their own audiences. The culture of adaptation, Varma suggests, was not a sign of creative bankruptcy but a strategic choice that shaped some of India's biggest film legends. And while the industries have evolved, the legacy of that era continues to influence storytelling today.
