Shah Rukh Khan Receives HARSH CRITICISM For HARMING India's Cinematic Ventures From ‘THIS’ Bollywood Director (Details Inside)

Vivek Agnihotri, a prominent filmmaker, has asserted that the trajectory of Hindi cinema's storytelling took a downturn following the collaborative efforts of Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan. Speaking recently to DNA, Agnihotri pinpointed a decline in Indian cinema's quality since 1988, coinciding with the release of Amitabh Bachchan's iconic film ‘Shahenshah’.

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In a pointed critique, Agnihotri directed accusations towards the prolific partnership of Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar, who have jointly worked on multiple film projects. He contends that their cinematic contributions have had a perilous impact on India's cultural fabric.

“After the advent of Amitabh Bachchan as a superstar – not the one from Deewar but one from Shehanshah – the cinema after that never told real stories. Especially Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan’s cinema, which has actually damaged the cultural fabric of India in a very disastrous way. So, I felt it was important to tell real, honest stories," Vivek said.

Vivek Agnihotri's directorial credits encompass works such as ‘Chocolate’, ‘The Tashkent Files’, and ‘The Kashmir Files’.

A flurry of reactions emerged from online users in response to Agnihotri's contentious statement. One likened him to the male counterpart of Kangana Ranaut, humorously dubbing him “Mr. Kangana." Kangana Ranaut herself has long accused Karan Johar of detrimentally influencing Bollywood. Another commentator directed their comment towards the director of ‘The Kashmir Files’, “Oh... The Irony here!!”

Amitabh Bachchan, revered as a living legend of Indian cinema, boasts a prolific career spanning over five decades and includes iconic films like ‘Sholay’, ‘Deewar’, and ‘Zanjeer’. Similarly, Shah Rukh Khan is celebrated as a prominent star, with movies like ‘Baazigar’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Pathaan’, and ‘Chak De! India’ etching his legacy.

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Often hailed as the Indian equivalent of Tom Cruise, Khan's immense popularity parallels Bachchan's. The two luminaries have collaborated on various films, including the 2001 blockbuster ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’, directed by Karan Johar. Johar, a giant in the filmmaking domain, has produced and directed numerous blockbusters in his nearly three-decade-long career.