While the internet celebrates Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar as the torchbearers of purposeful cinema, some social media users feel the narrative deserves a closer, more critical look.
It’s true that both stars heavily rely on social themes for their projects, but many aren’t convinced that they’re the sole pillars of meaningful cinema in Bollywood’s vast and nuanced landscape.
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According to Aamir, choosing scripts that challenge the norm and address social issues is his top priority. With films like Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, and PK, he brought issues with the education system and religion into the national spotlight, and with films like Dangal, he celebrated female empowerment.
But his recent choices haven’t quite resonated with the audience like he had expected. Take his recent releases, Lal Singh Chadhha and Sitaare Zameen Par, for example.
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While both films were marketed as socially relevant dramas, many industry watchers and long time cinema fans noted that it all felt like relentless self-promotion.
Instead of letting the story speak, Aamir seemed intent on positioning himself as the face and savior of socially relevant cinema.
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Similarly, Akshay Kumar’s transition from social dramas like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Pad Man to political commentaries like Ram Setu and Kesari has raised a lot of eyebrows.
These films undeniably brought important topics to the mainstream, but their oversimplistic and sometimes preachy storytelling, along with ultranationalism, has gotten criticism for omitting larger systemic issues.
Moreover, crediting just these two actors completely overlooks the contributions of countless filmmakers and actors like Anubhav Sinha, Zoya Akhtar, Ayushmann Khurrana, Javed Akhtar, and many more, who have consistently reflected on social and political issues with nuance.
Aamir and Akshay might’ve been the beacons of social dramas in the past, but many feel their filmography today lacks the essence and truth of their previous projects.
