Bhagyashree slams ‘intimacy that makes you squirm’ in modern films, calls it unnecessary: ‘Stories can be bold without…’

ACtor Bhagyashree made her grand Bollywood debut alongside Salman Khan in me Pyaar Kiya and rosebush to celebrity overnight. Still, she went on to asterisk in only a few films before quitting the industry to focus on her personal life. In a recent interview with Variety India, Bhagyashree spoke about the contrast between the 90s and today’s cinema, calling out what she described as the unnecessary need to show intimacy in films today.Bhagyashree talks about unnecessary intimacy in today's moviesWhen asked what changes in today’s cinema she appreciates and dislikes, Bhagyashree said, “Cinema reflects society. In the 90s, it was the only entertainment, the only outing that gave a family the chance to spend time together. Today, families have become nuclear, people are more individualistic, and mediums of creative art have become multifold. The choices, therefore, are many too.”She added, “However, it has become impossible to please every type of audience. Films have split into cliques, genres, indie, art films, etc. I genuinely feel that while realism is the new market, it is not necessary to show intimacy that makes you squirm while sitting with your parents or children. Stories can be bold, diverse and interesting without being defiant towards society.”She also spoke about how, back in the 90s, stories were driven by more patriarchal characters, leaving less room for female actors to continue working after marriage. She added that working women are still a relatively new concept for society, but with more educated women stepping forward, the notion of how women are perceived has changed. She also appreciated men for encouraging and supporting women to work after marriage.About BhagyashreeBhagyashree made her debut with Maine Pyaar Kiya in 1989 and became a star overnight. She went on to feature in films like Paayal, Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi and Omkaram, among others, before quitting the film industry to focus on her personal life. She made her comeback to Bollywood in 2003 with Maa Santoshi Maa and later starred in films such as Thalaivii, Radhe Shyam and Chatrapathi. In 2023, the actor featured in a negative role in Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video and received praise for her performance.Bhagyashree is all set to feature in Riteish Deshmukh’s upcoming film Raja Shivaji. The film will see Riteish Deshmukh in the titular role, alongside Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte and Genelia Deshmukh in key roles. It is scheduled to release in theatres on 1 May.