There has been a lot of chatter about cinema needing to be “mass.” However, actor and screenwriter Hussain Dalal believes that instead of a film being mass, it should be “khaas.” He goes on to explain the difference between a movie being “khaas” and being “mass.”
In a candid chat with Husaain Dalal at Mohammad Ali Road in Ramzan, Husaain explained, "We talk a lot about mass cinema, but I think cinema should be khaas." He further explained while adding, "Khaas hoga to sablog dekhenge, aap mass bol rahe ho to matalab bhot log dekhenge aur bhot log dekh ke pasand na karein to? Phir kya hoga? (If it’s special, everyone will watch it. But if you call it mass, it only means that many people will watch it, but what if many people watch it and don’t like it? Then what happens?)"
Further referring to his food while explaining cinema, Hussain Dalal said that if a film is khaas, just like his food, everyone will enjoy it. According to him, this is the difference between khaas and mass.
The actor and screenwriter further added that whoever says that a story needs to be mass is a "disrespectful and patronizing term", as the story needs to be "khaas." Further explaining when a story becomes "khaas," Hussain Dalal says, "When you understand the problems of the audience, if you don’t even walk on the streets or meet the people whose money you want in theatres, then you’ll only discuss mass cinema, you won’t actually make it."
Hussain believes that meeting people, understanding their problems, and then making a movie makes the film relatable. Adding how coming to Mohammad Ali Road is special to him, Hussain said, "For me, when I come here it is the most important aspect of being an artist or a story-teller. If you don't meet normal people with normal stories, you are never going to write fantastically real stories."
Hussain Dalal is an Indian actor and screenwriter who primarily works in Hindi cinema. He is known for writing dialogues and screenplays for popular films such as Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, 2 States, Margarita with a Straw, Happy Ending, Jawaani Jaaneman, and Brahmāstra: Part One– Shiva. Apart from writing, he has also appeared in films like Lafangey Parindey, Karwaan, Toofaan, O'Romeo and others.
