EXCLUSIVE: Taran Adarsh rejects ‘extreme violence equals success’ idea; says Saiyaara and Tere Ishk Mein worked in the same year as Chhaava and Dhurandhar : Bollywood News

Veteran trade analyst Taran Adarsh has weighed in on the ongoing debate around extreme violence in cinema, asserting that graphic content alone is not what draws audiences to theatres. According to him, storytelling remains the decisive factor, irrespective of genre or tone.

EXCLUSIVE: Taran Adarsh rejects ‘extreme violence equals success’ idea; says Saiyaara and Tere Ishk Mein worked in the same year as Chhaava and Dhurandhar

EXCLUSIVE: Taran Adarsh rejects ‘extreme violence equals success’ idea; says Saiyaara and Tere Ishk Mein worked in the same year as Chhaava and DhurandharDuring a recent conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Adarsh was asked whether the success of films featuring intense violence suggests a shift in audience preference. He dismissed the notion outright.

“Not at all. It doesn’t matter. If the movie is good, if the story is good, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

Citing examples from the same release window, Adarsh pointed out that both violent and non-violent films have found equal acceptance when backed by strong content. “You said there is extreme violence, but I say Saiyaara is also becoming a success in the same year. After a few months of Chhaava, Saiyaara also releases and gets the same amount of love. And its songs become popular,” he noted.

He further added that romantic drama Tere Ishq Mein also performed well despite belonging to a completely different genre. “At the same time, Tere Ishq Mein also releases and achieves success. If the film is good… we compartmentalise it,” Adarsh said, underlining that audiences are open to varied storytelling experiences as long as the content connects.

The discussion then turned to the growing trend of actors portraying darker, morally grey characters — often described as “bad boy” roles. Responding to whether audiences are embracing such characters, Adarsh pointed out that this is far from a new phenomenon.

“It was there before. Amitabh Bachchan was there in Deewar. Shah Rukh Khan was also there in Baazigar, Darr and Anjaam. He played negative characters. Sanjay Dutt in Khalnayak,” he recalled.

According to Adarsh, experimentation is not only healthy for cinema but essential for actors looking to evolve. “Every actor has experimented and you should do it. Get out of your comfort zone. Give what the audience wants to see. At the same time, you are not typecast,” he said.

His remarks reinforce a consistent industry takeaway: violence, romance, or darkness are not success formulas by themselves — it is conviction, content, and execution that ultimately decide a film’s fate.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Taran Adarsh explains Rs 100 crores is no longer a benchmark for big Hindi films with today’s actors; says, “It’s funny to celebrate Rs 60-70 crores”