Actress Richa Chadha, who recently impressed audiences with her performance in ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, has raised a powerful point about the way independent and meaningful films are treated in Indian cinema.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Richa shared a heartfelt note about the ongoing struggle of socially relevant and small-budget films to find enough screens. She said that while big commercial movies easily dominate theatres, smaller films, even those that earn global praise and win awards, often face financial losses.
Richa’s post came after the release of ‘Homebound’, a recent film backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. Despite receiving support from one of the biggest production houses in the country, the movie reportedly saw very low footfall in theatres.
A user on X expressed frustration over the situation, saying, “So many people wanted to watch it, but it wasn’t shown in proper theatres. If a producer can’t sell India’s official Oscar entry with great reviews, that’s a skill issue.”
Responding to this, Richa shared her own perspective, pointing out that ‘Homebound’ actually got more shows because it had the backing of a powerful producer. She compared it with her earlier film ‘Masaan’, saying that smaller movies often get even fewer shows.
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“Each screen and each show costs money,” she explained. “Exhibitors have to consider whether there are enough people in the hall to even buy samosas.”
Richa went on to highlight how expensive tickets are driving audiences away. “Fewer people go to watch such films because ticket prices are so high. Affordable single-screen theatres have almost disappeared,” she wrote.
The actress also shed light on the long-term financial impact of such issues. “The producer ends up facing losses long after the awards are over. Actors may gain credibility, but the person who put in the money suffers,” she said.
Richa concluded her note with a hard-hitting observation about what’s truly harming independent cinema. “What’s killing independent films?” she asked. “Exorbitant ticket prices, the P&A (print and advertising) bottleneck, fewer screens, and the monopoly of a few people controlling the distribution.”