Vidyut Jammwal: ‘Money is not everything’: Ahead of his Hollywood debut in ‘Street Fighter’, Vidyut Jammwal points out big difference between two industries, how Bollywood needs ‘planning, professionalism, discipline and legal aspects’ rather than bigger budgets | Hindi Movie News
Vidyut Jammwal has opened up about the differences between Bollywood and Hollywood as he prepares to make his international debut with ‘Street Fighter’. After 15 years of working across Indian film industries, the actor says Hollywood’s approach stands out not only for its budgets but also for its planning, professionalism, discipline and legal framework. While acknowledging the progress Indian cinema has made in action filmmaking, Jammwal believes money alone cannot guarantee quality.
Vidyut Jammwal says Bollywood cannot match Hollywood by spending more money
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Vidyut Jammwal reflected on his experience of working in Hollywood after spending 15 years in Indian cinema. The actor, who began his career playing antagonists before establishing himself as an action star, said the working environment abroad was markedly different from what he had experienced in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films.“It’s very different from what we have here. Yes, the money they spend is phenomenal, but just by spending money, you cannot create phenomenal stuff. You see a different kind of planning, professionalism, discipline, and legal aspects. They are very particular about what they do. That is a big difference,” he said.In recent years, several Indian filmmakers have mounted productions on large budgets in an effort to deliver filmmaking on a scale comparable to Hollywood. However, Jammwal believes that financial investment alone cannot bridge the gap.“If a person suddenly gets a lot of money, it doesn’t mean they will suddenly learn manners, too,” the actor said.Clarifying that his observation was not intended as a criticism of Indian cinema, Jammwal added, “I am not talking just about our industry, but about people in general, too. Money is not everything. There is a certain mindset change that needs to be brought.”
Vidyut Jammwal says Indian action cinema has reached a high standard
Despite pointing out the differences in working practices, Jammwal believes Indian action filmmaking has made significant progress. He said the industry now has access to some of the country’s leading action directors and that he has had opportunities to work with several prominent names.“Things have changed. We are doing excellent,” he said, adding, “The standard of action is very high here now. We get the best action directors in our films now. I get the opportunity to work with everybody who is big in India, also.”According to the actor, the distinction lies less in the quality of the action itself and more in the systems governing how dangerous sequences are filmed. He pointed to legal requirements and insurance protocols as key differences between the two industries.“The only difference there is the legal system. The laws are very strict, the insurance companies are very fastidious about what the actor can do,” he said.
About ‘Street Fighter’
Street Fighter marks Vidyut Jammwal’s Hollywood debut. The actor plays Dhalsim in the latest live-action adaptation of Capcom’s popular video game franchise.Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Roman Reigns, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, Eric André, Andrew Schulz, 50 Cent and Jason Momoa, alongside Jammwal. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on October 16.
