Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani has raised serious concerns about the growing disconnect between Indian audiences and the film industry. Speaking ahead of the release of the indie thriller Stolen, which he backed as executive producer alongside Anurag Kashyap, Kiran Rao, and Vikramaditya Motwane, Advani stated that filmmakers today are struggling with trust issues more than ever.
“Reviews are paid, everything is bought. Audiences don’t believe us anymore,” Advani said in a brutally honest interview. While he’s proud to lend credibility to debutant Karan Tejpal’s film, he hopes for a future where such endorsement isn’t needed. “A real milestone will be when a film like Stolen doesn’t require names like ours,” he added.
Discussing the wider divide between commercial and indie cinema, Advani reflected on the challenges of breaking formulas and pursuing original storytelling. “You need to have marketable faces, or else your project won’t even make it out of the gate,” he explained. Yet, he remains hopeful that a wave of quality-driven films can shift the tide.
Referencing comedian Vir Das’ surge in demand — from touring 6 cities to 60 — Advani pointed out that audiences are still spending, just not on formulaic films. “The key is to listen,” he emphasized.
Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Stolen stars Abhishek Banerjee in a gripping story that could mark a new chapter in Indian independent cinema — if audiences give it the chance.