Team Maharani's Mansi Parekh & Viral Shah praises regional cinema over Bollywood

Mumbai, July 19 (IANS) The members of the much-anticipated Gujarati drama "Maharani" - actress Mansi Parekh and director Viral Shah, praised the regional cinema when compared to Bollywood.

During an exclusive interaction with IANS, they were asked if "the stories in regional cinema are more authentic compared to Bollywood"?

To this, Viral replied that the regional cinema has an authenticity because it's deeply rooted in the culture of that particular area, while in Bollywood, there is a tendency to generalize as it has to cater to a wider, more universal audience.

Speaking to IANS, the director said, "Regional films, however, can dive deeper into the nuances of local culture, allowing the stories to feel fresh and more real. Bollywood, on the other hand, often has to compromise on certain details to appeal to everyone."

Sharing her opinion, Mansi added, "The regional filmmakers are often closer to their audience. They understand the local customs, language, and culture on a much deeper level. That’s why regional films resonate more authentically with their audience. In Bollywood, we sometimes miss that connection due to the broader scope of the storytelling."

Viral further revealed what motivated him to direct "Maharani".

He shared that it all started when he realized how crucial our house help is to the smooth functioning of our lives. "There’s this strange dependency, and when they don’t show up on time, it completely messes up the entire day. It’s such a small thing, yet it becomes this major issue. It was an eye-opener for me, but at the same time, it made me laugh. I wanted to highlight how we take such things for granted, things that shouldn’t be taken for granted at all. And I thought, this is a message worth sharing," Viral concluded.

With Manasi, Shraddha Dangar, Ojas Rawal, and Sanjay Goradia as leads, "Maharani" is slated for a theatrical release on August 1.

--IANS

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