‘Mithun Chakraborty came from zero; today 5 studios run Bollywood’: Namashi Chakraborty

Mithun Chakraborty, the veteran actor known for his role in Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2, shared his journey and the evolution of the Bollywood film industry with SCREEN in an exclusive interview. His younger son, actor Namashi Chakraborty, opened up about his father's struggles and the shifts in the industry over the years. Namashi highlighted his father's humble beginnings, stating that Mithun "came from zero," growing up in a lower-middle-class family with no financial backing.

He emphasized the challenges his father faced in navigating industry politics and prejudices, which shaped his rise to stardom.

Namashi also noted the decline of independent producers in the industry, leaving only five major studios in control, such as Yash Raj Films, Dharma Productions, Excel Entertainment, Maddock Films, and T-Series. He explained that independent producers once played a crucial role in funding and promoting films, but now, big production houses dominate the market, often overshadowing smaller, innovative producers.

The actor praised his father's versatility, highlighting his outstanding comic timing in films like Golmaal 3 and Housefull 2, as well as his ability to excel in various genres, including the dramatic role in Agneepath (1990). Namashi lamented that such versatility often goes unrecognized, attributing it to the industry's focus on a select few production houses that dictate the success of films.

During the interview, Namashi shared a poignant childhood memory: watching the trial screening of his father's film Muqaddar (1996), where Mithun's character undergoes a violent act. The emotional scene left Namashi so distressed that he had to leave the screening. His father, who was present during the screening, had to apologize to the director for his reaction. This incident also led to Namashi being banned from participating in action films for a time.

Namashi concluded by emphasizing the pivotal role his parents have played in his career, describing Mithun as his biggest mentor and critic, as well as his mother as his biggest fan and role model.