In a candid conversation with Brut India's Editor-in-Chief, Mehak Kasbekar, on The Other Side podcast, actor-director Ashutosh Gowariker reflected on his journey from his directorial debut to his recent OTT appearances with Brut at Cannes 2026. He attended the festival as part of India's official delegation in his new role as director of the International Film Festival of India.
In that setting, Gowariker looked back at how cinema has evolved over the past 25 years.
From Actor To Storyteller
Before becoming a director, Ashutosh Gowariker began his career as an actor. After working on several projects, he eventually moved behind the camera, where he discovered a stronger creative voice.
His early directorial ventures did not perform well commercially. But rather than ending his ambitions, those setbacks became turning points.
He later explained that he had initially tried to align his work with audience expectations. That changed when he decided to trust his own instincts.
Lagaan Changed Everything
Everything shifted with Lagaan. The film became a landmark moment for Indian cinema and even earned an Oscar nomination.
But for Gowariker, the biggest transformation was internal rather than external.
He said that after his early setbacks, he decided that if he returned as a filmmaker, it had to be on his own terms or not at all.
That conviction shaped the films that followed, including Swades, Jodhaa Akbar and other projects that moved across genres instead of repeating formulas.
“Conviction Is Not Enough”
At Cannes 2026, Gowariker spoke candidly about how filmmaking has changed.
One of his key observations was simple: conviction alone is no longer enough.
He explained that earlier, filmmakers could rely on a single strong idea and build everything around it. Today, storytelling also requires structure, market awareness and balance.
Films now exist within a "numbers game", where budgets, scale and returns influence decisions more than ever before.
Yet, he did not dismiss conviction. Instead, he argued that conviction must coexist with practical thinking.
Swades And The Question Of Today
One of the most striking moments from the conversation came when Gowariker was asked whether Swades could still be made today.
His answer was simple. Yes, it would.
But he added a condition. In today's industry, a film must either have a major star or a concept powerful enough to function like one.
Without that, securing support becomes significantly harder.
His response reflected a larger shift in the business of cinema, where content still matters, but packaging and positioning matter just as much.
Beyond Box Office Numbers
Gowariker also pushed back against the industry's growing obsession with box office milestones.
He said cinema often gets "drowned in numbers", reducing success to crore figures and global rankings.
For him, every film has its own journey and cannot be judged solely through comparisons.
He also pointed out that international recognition, including honours from Cannes or the Oscars, should not become the only benchmark of value.
Not every important film needs validation from global platforms.
Cinema Is Expanding, Not Shrinking
He highlighted one of the most significant shifts in Indian storytelling over the past decade.
Regional cinema is no longer confined by geography. Films made in Tamil, Marathi, Kannada and Malayalam now travel across India without needing Hindi remakes.
According to Gowariker, this is one of the healthiest developments in the industry.
It has also opened doors for younger filmmakers who are not bound by older commercial formulas.
Acting Never Left Him
Even after establishing himself as a director, Gowariker never completely stepped away from acting.
He returned to the screen in films like Ventilator, explaining that his understanding of performance allows him to guide actors more precisely on set.
Cannes As A Creative Crossroads
Calling Cannes the "Kashi of film festivals", Gowariker described it as a place where global cinema gathers with purpose.
Beyond premieres and red carpets, he said he was there to observe how festivals are built, how sections are curated and how emerging voices are nurtured.
His focus now also includes documentaries, short films and supporting new filmmakers, especially those without access to large platforms.
