Vivek Agnihotri SLAMS Bollywood’s Focus On Instagram Followers Over Talent: ‘Films That Feel Like Reels…’

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri criticized Bollywood for casting actors based on Instagram followers, sparking debates on artistic merit versus digital metrics. He’s working on “The Delhi Files.”

Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri recently slammed the trend of casting actors based on their Instagram followers, adding that directors are now being pressured to make films that look like compilations of Instagram reels. His remarks struck a chord with many, as the comments were filled with people calling for Bollywood to focus on creating entertaining films with fresh, talented actors rather than relying on social media popularity.

His comment on the alleged growing dependence on digital metrics over artistic merit has sparked debates about whether Bollywood is compromising storytelling for the sake of virality.

He wrote, “First, they started selecting actors based on their Instagram followers. Now, they’re forcing directors to make films that feel like compilations of Instagram reels. No wonder Bollywood today is filled with only famous celebs followed by paid paparazzi, but hardly any real actors.”

Vivek Agnihotri is currently working on his upcoming movie, The Delhi Files. Recently, the filmmaker took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) handle and shared a picture of himself from the sets. Agnihotri revealed that he recently broke down on the sets after learning about the pain and sacrifice of people.

“Before we began shooting #TheDelhiFiles, we knew it was a painful chapter of India’s history. But we never imagined how deeply it would affect us, especially the younger crew members. The pain, persecution, torture and sacrifice our people endured seem almost unimaginable to them. Our history they were never taught. Every day on set, someone breaks down. Last night, it was me,” he wrote.