Producer Ektaa Kapoor has spoken about what she described as “Hinduphobia” in the entertainment industry, questioning why the open expression of faith and stories rooted in Indian folklore face resistance in Bollywood. Her remarks came during an appearance on The Ranveer Show, hosted by Ranveer Allahbadia.
Talking about her film The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest, which draws inspiration from Bihar’s folklore, Ektaa Kapoor said the film’s connection to traditional stories mattered to her beyond its box-office performance. “I’m just gonna say it on camera, Hinduphobia,” she said, adding that the industry is comfortable with animation but hesitant when it comes to discussing folklore and mythology.
According to Woman’s Era magazine, Ektaa Kapoor questioned why audiences and industry professionals appear more comfortable with certain forms of fantasy and animation than with stories inspired by Indian folklore and Hindu mythology.
Ektaa Kapoor’s comments have reignited a wider discussion about how Indian religious traditions are portrayed in mainstream entertainment and whether stories rooted in indigenous culture receive the same enthusiasm as other fantasy narratives.
The remarks tap into a long-running debate in the Hindi film industry about the portrayal of Hindu themes on screen. In recent years, films rooted in Indian mythology and folklore have found both critical attention and commercial success, even as conversations continue about how such stories are received by different sections of the audience.
Ektaa Kapoor on Being Called a ‘Freak’ and ‘Tantrik’
Ektaa Kapoor also shared personal experiences from her younger days. She recalled how wearing a tilak on her forehead and a sacred thread, or dhaaga, became a reason for others to judge her, with some people questioning her appearance and making dismissive remarks about her religious symbols.
“When I used to wear a tika, when I was younger, I remember somebody called me, like, ‘Why you dress like a freak?’ I said, wearing a tika and wearing a dhaaga is dressing like a freak?” she said, according to The Daily Jagran.
During the conversation, Ranveer Allahbadia also brought up how she had been labelled a “tantrik” because of her religious practices. Ektaa Kapoor said openly displaying one’s faith should not automatically invite judgement.
She also recounted walking into a club straight from a mandir, remembering that people were genuinely shocked that someone could proudly follow both worlds. When someone asked her if she had been to a temple, she responded, “Yeah, what’s so shocking?”
Ektaa Kapoor’s The Vvaan and the Folklore Argument
The conversation then turned to the reception of Ektaa Kapoor’s latest production, The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest. Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and written by Arunabh Kumar, the film draws heavily from Bihari folklore, specifically the beliefs surrounding the Maa Van Devi Temple near Patna, according to Zoom TV.
The film, which features Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia, was released on September 25. It recorded an opening of Rs 8 crore net in India and has since reached a domestic net collection of Rs 69.36 crore, with a worldwide total of Rs 90.01 crore, Zoom TV reported.
She pointed to these figures as evidence that audiences are interested in folklore-driven narratives when they are brought to the screen. She expressed hope that Indian cultural narratives would receive greater acceptance, while noting that there is much more acceptance of such content now than before.
Looking ahead, her company, Balaji Telefilms, has entered into a partnership with YouTube to produce five original shows totalling 200 episodes, according to Zoom TV. She also confirmed that development is underway for The Dirty Picture 2 and a new television project for Star Plus starring Gaurav Khanna and Shraddha Arya.
The podcast appearance is the latest in a series of candid conversations in which the producer has addressed industry attitudes toward faith and tradition. Whether her comments prompt a broader shift in how folklore-driven stories are greenlit remains to be seen, but the discussion they have triggered shows no signs of fading.