Digital entertainment, busy life make it tough to bring people into cinema halls: Arbaaz Khan

Arbaaz Khan, whose next home production is Dabangg 3, says bringing the audience to the theatre to watch a film is becoming tougher with each passing year.

Dabangg, which released in 2010 had a successful journey at the box office, leading its makers to venture into Dabangg 2 in 2012, and eventually into the upcoming Dabangg 3. Khan says the audience and the world of entertainment has changed rapidly in these years.

"I think bringing people into the theatre is a tough task these days. And there are many reasons for that. On one hand, we are exposed to digital entertainment of the international level and on the other hand in our busy life, after long working hours, all we want is to go back home. We are rarely left with the interest to face traffic and parking problems and then watching a film by ignoring all that [sic]," Khan told IANS, a news agency.

The actor-producer prefers to celebrate commercial cinema rather than niche films as a producer.

"See, I personally believe in mainstream cinema. I want to do a film that has a potential to reach a larger audience. I know that when I am making a film — whether as a director or producer — I have to put an equal effort to make the film, a small or big project [sic]. So I better work on a film which can reach a wider audience."

"I think we always should find out a universal element in films. See, Vicky Donor (2012) was a different film on a topic (sperm donation) that mainstream cinema did not explore, but the film managed to make money at the box office. That is what matters — formula or no-formula, it should connect with people," he explained.

Khan will be seen acting in the suspense thriller Nirdosh, to be released on 19 January.