Filmmaker Unlearns Mumbai Myths on Pan-India Journey

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has embarked on an extensive pan-India tour, not as a filmmaker seeking an audience, but as an observer reconnecting with the pulse of the country. He realized that assumptions about regional audience tastes, often formed in Mumbai, are untrue. This journey is an effort to unlearn these accumulated biases and to ground his filmmaking in authentic observations of people from all walks of life.

Sinha, known for socially relevant films like 'Mulk' and 'Article 15', seeks to revive the purity and honesty in his storytelling. By visiting single-screen theaters and engaging with viewers directly, he draws inspiration from their reactions and emotional connections to cinema. This process helps him understand that audiences connect with his opinions and beliefs, not just the narrative.

The filmmaker notes that audiences are not absent from theaters but are sometimes not reached effectively or simply dislike the content. He emphasizes that his journey is also personal, fostering humility by encountering extraordinary individuals in smaller cities. Sinha's ultimate takeaway is the profound realization that people across India are fundamentally the same, dispelling notions of division and fostering a belief in a united India.