Bollywood director and producer Mahesh Bhatt has weighed in on US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all films produced outside the United States.
In a recent conversation, Bhatt talked about the broader implications of this move, particularly for the Indian film industry.
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He reportedly expressed surprise that many in the Indian entertainment sector had assumed they would remain unaffected by such a policy.
He implied that there had been a sense of denial or false security within the industry, as many people believed that the fallout from the US decision would not affect the Indian industry.
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Bhatt said that this was bound to happen, that the tariff would affect the Indian industry, but the real question is to what extent it will affect our industry, especially the streaming space.
He asked if the increasing consumption of Indian films abroad, especially on digital platforms, would now be hindered by such steep tariffs.
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He also pointed out that Telugu films, in particular, had carved out a significant audience in the US, though Hindi films historically held a wider global footprint.
This is a devastating blow for Indian cinema, particularly to Telugu distributors in the U.S.
His remarks suggest that the Hindi film industry could be hit harder by these changes, given its broader international reach.
The tariff, introduced by Trump under the claim that foreign countries were enticing American filmmakers with financial incentives, is being positioned as a measure to boost domestic film production.
However, Bhatt’s comments reflect the growing concern within the Indian and especially the Telugu film industry about the potential global consequences of this tariff.
