In a patriotic tribute to India’s 75th Republic Day on January 26 of 2024, renowned Bollywood director Rohit Shetty took a moment out from his storytelling canvases to honor the real-life heroes of Mumbai – the city’s police force. Celebrating with the men and women in khaki, Shetty joined the Mumbai Police’s Republic Day event, engaging with the officers and participating in the ceremonial hoisting of the tricolor flag.
The director, known for his high-octane action films, featured the day’s activities on his Instagram profile, spotlighting the true ‘Singham’s of Mumbai – a reference to his popular cop-action film franchise. Shetty’s post, captioned “Humbled and Honoured..A day spent well with the real Singhams. Happy Republic Day,” included a heartwarming video snippet that took his followers through a series of candid moments from the day’s commemoration.
The Republic Day celebrations stand in stark contrast to the glitzy, larger-than-life Bollywood sets Shetty is often associated with. Instead, the filmmaker shed the cinematic trappings and highlighted the civic and national spirit of the day, with uniformed officers taking center stage.
Alongside the patriotic celebrations, Rohit Shetty also opened up about a recent project, ‘Cirkus,’ featuring actor Ranveer Singh, which did not fare well at the box office. In an in-depth interview with ANI, Shetty candidly discussed his rationale behind the film. He acknowledged that ‘Cirkus’ was a product of the uncertain pandemic era – a time when the entertainment industry faced unprecedented challenges, including halted productions and closed theaters.
With his blockbuster ‘Sooryavanshi’ awaiting release and the forthcoming series ‘Indian Police Force’ in the pipeline, there was an eight-month lull in his production schedule due to pandemic-related delays. “We had workers sitting idle at home, and this script had been with us for a long time,” Shetty explained. With an intent to keep his team occupied and to continue with the creative process, he decided to proceed with ‘Cirkus’ – a film he described as simple and small-scale, a stark departure from his usual style with no ‘flying cars, action, or heroic entry.’
In a subsequent conversation with India Today, Shetty further acknowledged his approach to handling the highs and lows of his career. By surrounding himself with people who provide honest feedback, he accepts box office outcomes – whether a hit or a miss – with grace. Reflecting a sense of ownership over both his triumphs and shortcomings, he professed, “There is no point in shying away from it.” According to Shetty, each project, whether as successful as ‘Singham’ and ‘Golmaal,’ or less so like ‘Zameen,’ ‘Dilwale,’ or ‘Cirkus,’ is a part of his journey, underscoring his belief in personal accountability over his directorial endeavors.
These expressions from the celebrated filmmaker showcase not only his involvement in the entertainment industry but also highlight his commitment to the integral forces of society and his willingness to embrace his professional outcomes without deflection. As a figure of influence in Indian cinema, Rohit Shetty exemplifies the pride and spirit of Republic Day by not only saluting the real ‘Singhams’ of Mumbai but also by reflecting on his own cinematic contributions with candor and authenticity.
(With Inputs from ANI)
