Shoojit Sircar emphasises the power of storytelling amid the changing media landscape

At a recent panel discussion titled Perspectives for Change, filmmaker Shoojit Sircar didn’t mince words. Amid shifting audience habits, streaming saturation, and box office unpredictability, the Piku director pointed to one constant that still holds power: good storytelling.

Piku director Shoojit Sircar opened up about the demands of consumption

“People often say they’ve lost their attention spans,” he noted. “But they’ll sit through a four-hour show without flinching. The truth is, when content is excellent, it commands attention. That’s what we need to recalibrate—our standards of creativity.”

Shoojit, known for his nuanced and grounded narratives, weighed in on the ongoing theatre vs. streaming debate. While many industry insiders fret over dwindling footfalls in cinemas, Shoojit offered a different lens. “When Scorsese drops a film, I’m in the theatre—no trailer, no reviews needed. That’s the kind of hunger great storytelling creates. We need to build that again.”

But compelling content, he argued, needs a support system. “Earlier, if one studio didn’t get your vision, you could take it elsewhere. That’s not as easy post-pandemic. The ecosystem has shrunk, and we need more open doors.”

Looking beyond India, Shoojit also spoke about a missing piece in the global puzzle. “Even if a film of mine plays on 700 screens abroad, I often don’t have the right distribution partner to truly connect with a global audience. That needs to change if we want to position Indian stories on a continental scale.”

On the question of originality and the rise of so-called ‘adolescent’ content, Shoojit pushed back gently but firmly. “There are stories that may not follow a populist formula but carry deep social relevance. Those films matter, too. Their strength lies in strong writing and direction.”

As the conversation turned to production budgets, he acknowledged the growing financial pressures but also celebrated India’s hallmark ingenuity. “The jugaad spirit has always helped us make more with less. That’s something we can still lean on.”