Mumbai, Nov 23 (IANS) Filmmaker-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra came down heavily at the social media influencers, and the entire ecosystem of social media stardom, and how brands come into picture.

The filmmaker-producer attended the 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. During a masterclass at the film festival, he made a sharp critique at the growing culture of social media stardom, which has affected the medium of cinema as well.

He said, “What word can I use? These are a*******. They go on the Internet, and stand in a certain way. Someone has 5 million followers, someone has 10 million, another has 20 million”.

He further mentioned, “The social media influencer thinks that he is a legend. And then brands go to that fellow and say, ‘Please sell our product’. The influencer stands again, and says, ‘Hey, buy this tiffin. Buy whatever’. What the f*** is going on? You as an individual have to choose whether you want to be that or you want to really strive for happiness and joy”.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra, at the 56th IFFI in Goa, gave a masterclass on filmmaking. He discussed the 8K restoration of his classic 1942: A Love Story and recalled a behind-the-scenes anecdote: his then-assistant Sanjay Leela Bhansali scattered breadcrumbs on a mountain to lure birds for a song sequence.

During the event, he argued that cinema today often prioritises presentation over storytelling, and emphasized that his films reflect the social realities of their time.

The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is currently underway in Goa. It is a dazzling convergence of cinematic art, culture, and technology. It features over 240 films from 81 countries, and includes 13 world premieres, international and Asian debuts. The opening will break tradition with a grand parade along the Mandovi river.

–IANS

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