Acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan, best known for his 2015 film Masaan, highlighted a key shortcoming where Bollywood struggles to engage its audience. During a panel discussion, he called out Bollywood’s reliance on “sanitised” storytelling, contrasting it with the more authentic narratives seen in South Indian cinema.

“I feel the reason why the Southern industries are doing so well is because their lived-in-reality is so authentic, and their characters are rooter and real”, Neeraj said at the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC), hosted by the Screenwriters Association of India (SWA).

As for Bollywood, Neeraj, who also helmed Sacred Games Season 2, he said, “the characters are sanitised for a certain audience. It has to go via Bandra. It doesn’t feel real. In the process of making film palatable to a certain audience, you might lose what is real.”

During the same conference, Neeraj Ghaywan, spoke about the lack of ‘independent funding’ for films in India, making it difficult for Indian cinema to thrive. He said, “The challenge is to make what you want with the studios while keeping your integrity intact. Recovery has to come from music or casting a particular actor. You have to battle your way through to achieve your vision.”

On the work front, Neeraj Ghaywan served as a film critic before assisting director-actor Anurag Kashyap on the acclaimed film Gangs of Wasseypur and Ugly. His directorial debut was Vicky Kaushal’s cult film Masaan.