Nothing has changed and nothing will change after lockdown lifts: Bollywood trade analyst Komal Nahta

With the lockdown being lifted from almost every spheres of life, the entertainment industry is gearing back and trying to adapt to new normal. However Trade analyst Komal Nahta feels that even with the ease in lockdown, things will still remain the same.

Komal Nahta says he expected the world to be more compassionate, however things are still the same as per lockdown phase. Elaborating on the same, he said, "Nothing major has changed among the pandemic and nothing will change. I have 2 examples to convince you on the same. First example is that is of the Tamil film 800. Muttiah Muralitharan, a Sri Lankan cricketing sensation on whose life the film was supposed to be based titled, 800 signed Vijay Sethupathi for the film, who is a very well known actor of the Tamil cinema but he was compelled to resign from the film because of a major controversy and debate that arose around 800."

Explaining further and quoting another example Komal adds , "Another example is of Laxmmi Bomb. The film is set to release on an OTT platform during the Diwali week. An Indian Hindu outfit has raised an objection to the film's title Laxmmi Bomb saying that it cannot have Laxmmi in the title because Goddess Laxmmi is a Hindu Goddess and so it hurts the sentiments of the Hindus. Of course Goddess Laxmmi is the Goddess of Wealth but if a girl can be named Laxmmi then why can’t a film title say Laxmmi but this Hindu outfit has an objection to it. Their other objection is that in the film the hero is named Asif, a Muslim and the heroine is named Priya Yadav, a Hindu and its a love story between a Hindu and a Muslim which cannot be allowed. With such objections the outfit has asked for a ban on the film."

Komal Nahta talks about the people as observed in the two examples above by concluding as, "We thought post the lockdown, the world would be a completely new place with more compassion and love towards each other. But right now the lockdown hasn’t been lifted completely and already conversations on rivalry have started."

People had been locked inside their houses for so many months and a change in their behaviours and sentiments was a general expectation. Even with various issues being discussed on social media it has been observed that people had become more accepting and open to change in their mindsets but in reality this is not entirely true.