Paresh Rawal now has an issue with recliner seats in theatres: 'Film let ke nahin dekhi jaati’

Paresh Rawal criticised inflated ticket prices in Hindi cinema, calling for better subject choices to meet evolving audience preferences.

Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal recently confirmed his return to the Hera Pheri franchise. In a conversation with Himanshu Mehta on his podcast, the veteran actor also weighed in on the challenges facing Hindi cinema, criticising inflated ticket prices and drawing comparisons to the more structured, slab-based pricing model followed by South Indian cinemas.

Paresh Rawal shares his thoughts on what is wrong with Hindi cinema.

Paresh believes that one of the key reasons behind the underperformance of Hindi films is the choice of subjects. He pointed out that the rise of OTT platforms during the lockdown significantly influenced audience preferences by offering high-quality and diverse content. As a result, viewers have evolved, but filmmakers have failed to adapt accordingly.

Paresh Rawal slams the inflated ticket prices in Hindi cinema

He further criticised the inflated ticket rates, noting that in the South, ticket prices are regulated and typically don’t exceed ₹200. He remarked, “If the aam janta (general public) shuns your film and only the rich class endorses your films, then it’s wrong. If a middle-class family, comprising 5-6 members, go to watch a film, unke Rs. 5000-6000 toh yuh nikal jaate hai. Also, there’s no guarantee that the film will satisfy you. On top of that, the kids will of course ask for popcorn, soda and ice cream (which also adds to the expenditure).”

Paresh Rawal slams the idea of recliner seats in multiplexes

Paresh also slammed the recliner seats section in multiplexes, saying, "You are supposed to watch a film while sitting. Let ke nahin dekhi jaati (it is not watching while lying). You haven’t come to a spa, you have come to see a film! Also, waiters keep roaming around. We have to tell them ‘Hatt, hatt’. Arre it’s a film, not a wedding event. Because of all this gandagi – gold class and all– you don’t feel like going to the cinemas. It’s okay to sit comfortably on a seat. But why sit (lying down) with a pillow? Aise hi baithna hai toh spa mein jao ya fir mujra dekhne jao (If you want to sit like that, then go to a spa or to watch a mujra)!”

Paresh Rawal’s upcoming films

Paresh will next be seen in Nikita Roy, which marks the directorial debut of Shatrughan Sinha’s son Kussh S Sinha. The film also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Arjun Rampal and Suhail Nayyar in key roles. It was initially slated to release on June 27, but has now been postponed to July 18. Apart from this, Paresh also has Priyadarshan’s Bhooth Bangla, co-starring Akshay Kumar and Tabu, as well as Welcome To The Jungle in the pipeline.