'Powerful' Hollywood is affecting Indian cinema: Irrfan Khan
New Delhi, July 21: Internationally acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan says Indian cinema is being "dominated" by foreign films and this has "affected" the business of Bollywood films. Hollywood films like "Furious 7", "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Jurassic World" have proved their mettle at the box office in India earlier this year. The 48-year-old, who has starred in various hit foreign films like "Slumdog Millionaire", "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Life of Pi", believes Bollywood films are not a competition for Hollywood but the picture is different in India. "I'm working in both the industries as I'm enjoying my work on both sides. Hollywood demand different kind of skills. They have a different set of audience. So, as an actor it’s fortunate that I get chance to do different kind of work,” Irrfan, who was last seen in "Jurassic World", told IANS. “Both the industries have their own uniqueness. But Hollywood has a bigger reach and has its own universal language. It is more powerful. It has dominated our cinema. It can affect the business of Bollywood. But, our films are not affecting their business. Its Hollywood, which is affecting Indian cinema,” he added. Starting his career in Bollywood with character roles in films like “Salaam Bombay!” and “Drishti”, Irrfan went on to carve out his own space on the silver screen by showing his versatility in acting though films like “Haasil”, “Life in a... Metro” and “The Namesake”. But he says roles that he has played up till now were not of his choice, as he was not offered romantic roles before “Piku”.
