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Writer and director Farhad Samji has weighed in on the conversation around opportunities for women in comic roles, saying that Bollywood has previously seen actresses deliver memorable comedic performances and that the industry should create more such opportunities today.
Reflecting on the legacy of female-led comedy, Samji told ANI, "In the earlier times, actresses like Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, and Juhi Chawla used do comedy and would do it very well." Farhad Samji noted that his latest film 'Welcome to the Jungle' is not a part of the broader debate around gendered screen space. "Welcome to the Jungle is not a film where we come to the discussion about whether a girl is less or the role of the boy is more. For other films, I can agree to you with certain points that there should be some opportunities where the girls get a chance to show their talent," he added. The writer-director also spoke about higher expectations among audiences, especially when it comes to sequels of a comedy franchise. "When it is about franchises and sequels, I agree that there is a lot of expectation from the audience. There is also a pressure of comparison. If you have hit a six on the first ball, then everyone expects you to hit a six on the second ball. So there is a pressure of comparison," he explained. Samji emphasised how makers need to acknowledge the loopholes in the script and direction, underlining that such factors contribute to a film's underperformance. "We have to understand our mistakes. You just have to learn to improve your punches. When a sequel or franchise is released, there are comparisons with the previous sequels. In my sequels as a writer, I felt that 'Housefull 2' was very good. You can watch it even today. I directed 'Housefull 3'. The punches were less. 'Housefull 4' was very funny. 'Housefull 5' wasn't that funny. Sometimes we fall short. Sometimes the casting is wrong. Sometimes the punches are wrong. That's what we learn," he said. Directed by Ahmed Khan, 'Welcome to the Jungle' also stars Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Johny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Rajpal Yadav, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Daler Mehndi, and Aftab Shivdasani among others. 'Welcome To The Jungle' is presented by A A Nadiadwala, Cape of Good Films and Star Studio18 in association with Seeta Films and Rakesh Dang. It was released in theatres on June 26. (ANI)
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