Shekhar Suman says Bollywood filmmakers today are ‘plagiarists dependent on formula’, not original thinkers | Exclusive

HE was just 21 when Shekhar Suman entered the shoot manufacture with Utsav. From starring paired Rekha in his debut to beingness part of one of the most popular sitcoms of the 90s and establishing himself as a talk show host, the veteran actor has come a long way. After years of being away from the camera, Shekhar Suman returned to fiction shows with Heeramandi a couple of years ago. In a chat with Hindustan Times, the 62-year-old reflects on his journey so far and the changing landscape of Hindi cinema.Shekhar Suman on being ‘lucky’ in his careerAt 21, Shekhar Suman got his big break with Utsav, Girish Karnad’s arthouse film starring Rekha, Shashi Kapoor, Amjad Khan, Anupam Kher, and Neena Gupta, among others. He tells us that he got the film within 15 days of moving to Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1983. “I guess I was plain lucky. There is something called destiny,” he says. “You have to be part of the right projects, and an actor has to get the right opportunity. I came to Bombay and within 15 days, I was chosen as the hero opposite Rekha ji (in Utsav).” Within two months, Shekhar was on set. Utsav released, and the actor got more work with films like Nache Mayuri, Sansar, and Tridev. In the 90s, as film roles depleted, the actor moved to television. Here, too, he attributes his success to fate. “That's destiny. Else, why would Jaya Bachchan pick me up for Dekh Bhai Dekh or why would Vinod Pandey choose me for Reporter?” he argues. Both Reporter and Dekh Bhai Dekh were huge successes. And later in the 90s, Shekhar became a household name as the host of Moves & Shakers, arguably India’s first Hindi late-night talk show.Modern directors are plagiaristsAfter that, Shekhar focused more on non-fiction shows, including The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and Comedy Circus. He returned to acting with Heeramandi in 2024 and has since signed new projects. The actor says he has observed many changes in the industry in the four decades he has been a part of it. “Technically, we have become as good as any in the world. But somewhere we lack that originality,” he argues. “You have a set of actors who have a certain image to conform to, so they get stuck in that rut. And the directors, because of the financial pressures, are trying to find a formula.”The formulaic path to success in mainstream cinema irks the actor. Indicting the new-age directors, he says, “There’s too much dependence on formula. They are plagiarists, not original thinkers like K. Asif, Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, or Raj Kapoor. Their films have stayed for about 60-70 years. I still watch Gunga Jumna. Mughal-E-Azam still gives me goosebumps. Kaagaz Ke Phool, Pyaasa, or Mera Naam Joker are classics because they were originals. Today, what has changed is that there's too much emphasis on making it successful, rather than on making it more creatively beautiful. That's not a good sign. We have to return to being original and stick to our strengths and DNA. That's very important.”Shekhar Suman's new showShekhar is currently hosting his new talk show, Shekhar Tonite, which began streaming last week. The show streams on YouTube with a new guest each week. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was the inaugural guest, with showbiz celebs like Bobby Deol, Manoj Bajpayee, Ali Fazal, and Farah Khan set to appear in the coming episodes.