Hansal Mehta Advocates For Polite Criticism, Stresses Importance of Speaking One’s Mind | People News
New Delhi: Criticism can be polite and without malice, says filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who has been advised not to be vocal on social media but believes it is important to speak one’s mind.
Mehta, known for movies such as “Shahid”, “Aligarh”, “City Lights” and “The Buckingham Murders” and hit OTT shows like “Scam” and “Scoop”, is one of the most outspoken and active members from the film fraternity online, whether it is speaking out about what’s ailing Hindi cinema or his comments on the controversy around comic Kunal Kamra’s stand-up act.
“I have been told not to be vocal on social media but whatever I say is without malice. It is for the larger good. It’s not meant to be negative or derogatory. Criticism can be polite and decent,” Mehta told PTI on the sidelines of the Cinevesture International Film Festival (CIFF) 2025, which concluded on Sunday.
Asked whether he is worried about how social media discourse often lacks nuance and can turn negative, Mehta said he does not let it affect him.
“I do it my way. If you understand, good, if not, it is still okay. But the truth is, it is important to speak your mind. Otherwise, how will you disrupt the environment that’s breeding mediocrity?”
There is a lot conversation around how Hindi film industry is going through a crisis with producers not willing to take risks. But Mehta said he believes in quietly working his way through problems.
“You have to be smart about it. Budget right to minimise risk… Things will succeed and they will fail. But did you do your best? You have to ask this question and I keep doing that with myself.”
The filmmaker’s stories, in both movies and in shows, have mapped contemporary upheavals in the society whether it’s the murder of lawyer-activist Shahid Azmi, suicide of the Aligarh Muslim University professor Ramchandra Siras following a sting operation to determine his sexual orientation, stories of Harshad Mehta and Abdul Karim Telgi or journalist Jigna Vora’s arrest in the murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey and her acquittal seven years later.
Mehta said he is focused on chronicling the times in the way he experiences it.
“My effort is to chronicle our times and the people in those times without judgement with their truth, falsehoods and goodness as a whole package,” he said.
“As an artist, somewhere we, who are chronicling the characters of our times, could be documenting the conscience of the nation. It is a task that I like to do. I don’t say that everybody should do it but entertainment is as important for the conscience of the nation as history.”
On a question about artists finding themselves in a challenging period where the ecosystem is not conducive to creativity, Mehta said it has always been the case.
Also Read: ‘Physically Assaulted Me…’ Hansal Mehta Backs Kunal Kamra Amid Controversy
“The establishment changes from time to time. Every establishment wants to suppress some voice and wants to propogate another voice… Left, right or centre. The tides keep turning and suppression is always there.
“It is the job of the establishment to suppress common voice so that limitation has always been there but somewhere we have to find a way to work within that. The only way to do is by disrupting what I can, budgets, I can tell stories but how can I do it by minimising risks,” he said.
In January, the director launched his production company True Story Films with producer Sahil Saigal as well as producers Vinod Bhanushali and Parag Sanghvi on board.
Mehta is currently busy with his ambitious project “Gandhi” and the subsequent seasons of critically-acclaimed shows such as “Scam” and “Scoop”. His company recently announced adaptation of Sri Lankan comedy “Tentigo”.
The filmmaker is also backing Punjabi film “Hanere De Panchi”, directed by Shashank Walia. The film is backed by Mauli Singh, who also stars in the movie and Walia’s wife Reema Kaur. It was part of the 22 market projects at the festival’s CineV-CHD.
Mehta said they are producing all kinds of stories, including mainstream cinema, but in their own way.
“We have started producing primarily to create an environment where we focus on development and writing, nurturing scripts and stories and seeing them to completion. The basic belief in the power of cinema to tell stories. That’s the main objective but (we want to) do it in a way that’s commercially viable,” he added.
