Indian actor Ranbir Kapoor has expressed his discomfort with the term “Bollywood”, saying he prefers to be identified as a representative of Indian cinema rather than being labelled a Bollywood actor.
Speaking to Variety India during promotions for his upcoming film Ramayana, Kapoor was asked how the project would be categorised after its theatrical release.
He explained that the term Bollywood originated from Bombay, the former name of Mumbai, when the Hindi film industry was largely associated with the city.
“I think it’s just a term used as a derivative to Bollywood. It was Bombay at that time, so it was making it Bollywood. And Telugu industry was Tollywood and they had all these different sounding names,” he said.
Ranbir Kapoor calls for a broader identity for Indian cinema
The Barfi! actor said he did not like being restricted to the Bollywood label because Indian cinema represents a much wider range of cultures and languages.
He stressed that filmmakers and artists across the country were ultimately working towards a shared creative purpose.
“We are from a country of different cultures, different languages and different states. But at the end of it, we all are striving to come together to make art. Art is something which gets people together. There are no borders in art,” Kapoor said.
His remarks come amid growing attention to films from different Indian-language industries and efforts to reach audiences beyond regional and linguistic boundaries.
Ranbir Kapoor prepares for Ramayana
Kapoor is currently promoting Ramayana, a fantasy drama directed by Nitesh Tiwari and based on the Hindu epic featuring Lord Ram, Sita and Ravana.
The film is among the year’s major anticipated Indian productions, with Kapoor playing Lord Ram.
The project is scheduled to release in cinemas on November 5.
