The Romantics: “People are rejecting cynicism and divisiveness of movements like Boycott Bollywood,” says director Smriti Mundhra : Bollywood News

Netflix docu-series The Romantics, which is a tribute to the legacy of Yash Chopra & YRF and their cultural impact on India and Indians for the past 50 years, was released on February 14 to unanimous acclaim and love globally. The Romantics has been directed by Oscar & Emmy-nominated filmmaker Smriti Mundhra. She feels with the historic success of Pathaan, Bollywood has bounced back and silenced those propagating the idea that Hindi film industry and its stars have been boycotted by people. She feels the air around Bollywood is finally celebratory again as is evident with the success of The Romantics which is again a homage to the Hindi film industry through the lens of Yash Chopra and YRF’s impact on Indian pop culture.

The Romantics: “People are rejecting cynicism and divisiveness of movements like Boycott Bollywood,” says director Smriti Mundhra

“After a dark period defined by bad faith attacks and global uncertainty around the theatrical business, it is amazing to see audiences embracing Bollywood again. It proves that our love for the movies never went away, and people are rejecting the cynicism and divisiveness of movements like #BoycottBollywood,” feels Smriti.

Smriti is referring to the two-year bashing of Bollywood by nameless, faceless people on the internet who shamed the industry at every step without any proven or concrete logic or reason. Smriti says, “In this regard, the response to The Romantics has been overwhelming. I’m so glad the series was able to remind people of the ways cinema has been able to connect and unite us. As Indians, cinema is in our DNA, and the collective act of watching movies in a theatre is one of our most cherished rituals.”

She adds, “As the series shows, the industry has been through low points before and eventually, audiences find their way back to theatres, and to each other. It just takes the right film, and the right stars, to do draw them in.”

From Aamir Khan to Salman Khan, from Shah Rukh Khan to Ranbir Kapoor, from Amitabh Bachchan to Ranveer Singh, from Rani Mukerji to Hrithik Roshan, from Katrina Kaif to Anushka Sharma, the mega-stars and icons of Hindi cinema came together and spoken about Hindi cinema and YRF’s cultural impact for over 50 years.