Bollywood actor Avinash Tiwary has called out the industry's obsession with box-office numbers and six-pack abs. He pointed out the disconnect between talent and audience support, highlighting how performers like Manoj Bajpayee, Vikrant Massey, and Pratik Gandhi are often labelled "underrated", yet fail to draw crowds to theatres.
Tiwary contrasted this with the way South cinema and Hollywood celebrate craft, stating that 60-year-olds flaunting six-pack abs is a phenomenon unique to the Hindi film industry. He emphasized the lack of value placed on skill and craft, with audiences prioritizing box office numbers over artistic merit.
The actor's comments sparked a reaction from fans of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Akshay Kumar, who felt the jibe was directed at the superstars. Tiwary's recent film, Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, opened to a dismal start at the box office, collecting only ₹30 lakhs on day one.
He will next be seen in Imtiaz Ali's Netflix series, O Saathi Re, alongside Aditi Rao Hydari and Arjun Rampal. The release date has not yet been announced.
