Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is a filmmaker whose work focuses on real-life issues. His filmography includes social drama films, and his 2022 release The Kashmir Files received the National Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. Expressing concern over the current state of Bollywood, Agnihotri wrote an open letter to the Minister of Industry and Supply, Piyush Goyal.
Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri writes an open letter to Piyush Goyal suggesting to nurture Bollywood: “System promotes non-actors suited to making Instagram reels or dancing in weddings”
In the open letter that Agnihotri posted on Instagram, the director suggested some ways the government could address a $20 billion opportunity by supporting Bollywood. In his letter, Vivek referred to the minister’s remarks at the ‘Startup Mahakumbh.’ He agreed with the minister’s point that India should look beyond superficial startups focused on ice cream and healthy food, and instead focus on building something more innovative. “Your push to move beyond superficial ventures like ‘fancy ice cream and cookies’ and focus on meaningful innovation is timely. I wish to highlight a sector with immense cultural and economic potential — Indian cinema — which, despite its legacy, is failing to innovate, compete globally, or harness its soft power potential like Korea or Japan,” he wrote.
In the letter, Agnihotri talked about the decay of the film industry. He also expressed how cinema halls are becoming an unaffordable luxury with diminishing returns. Vivek opened up about the relevance of Bollywood as an industry which was once like a soft power beacon is now reduced to a flower power. “The industry’s decay is evident. Studios are shutting down; producers flee to real estate. Visionary filmmakers struggle to survive, while the system promotes non-actors better suited to making Instagram reels or dancing in weddings than meaningful cinema. Rooted, Indic stories are missing. Bollywood, once a soft power beacon, is now “flower power” —style without substance”, he noted.
Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri seeked the government’s attention to Bollywood. Highlighting about how art is dying with the number of visionary directors reducing day by day. The director also spoke about the hostility and threats. He seeked the government’s attention to the voices of cinema who want to make a change with funding, incentives and platforms. The director asked the minister to empower filmmakers who dare to dream refraining from being mere copycats committed to put India cinema on the global map. “The industry needs government support – funding, incentives, and platforms – to nurture bold storytellers, not just star-driven fluff. Indic cinema can be the biggest startup of India, with potential to generate jobs, export cultural capital, and build global influence just as Korea’s entertainment industry has done”, he wrote.
The director’s upcoming film The Delhi Files is set to release in theatres on August 15, 2025.
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