'No one gave 'Saiyaara' chance, look at the business it did': 'Maa Behen' director Suresh Triveni calls out 'calculative' Bollywood

Director Suresh Triveni has said that Hindi film producers and studios need to trust their instincts again, rather than only chasing data. The filmmaker, who recently released 'Subedaar' with Anil Kapoor on Prime Video and is now following it with 'Maa Behen' starring Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri on Netflix, spoke about the industry’s post-pandemic struggle, the weak run of mid-budget films, and why risky choices like 'Saiyaara' can still work.In an exclusive interview with Variety India, Triveni said the industry has become overly cautious in trying to understand what audiences want. “Decisions on gut feelings need to come back into the field. I think, we are a gut led industry. I feel we have become very data-centric and calculative.”He said he also falls into the same pattern. “And, I include myself in this. I think even while approaching a subject, we think a lot about whether it will work or not. We need more individual producers. And the existing studios should take punches which are gut-based and not just example-based.”Triveni cited Mohit Suri’s 'Saiyaara' as an example. The 2025 film was led by two newcomers, made on a budget of less than INR 50 crore, and earned close to INR 350 crore. “No one gave it ("Saiyaara") chance, and look at the business it did. I feel that needs to happen more,” he said.Triveni also said the government should support the film industry because moviegoing has become expensive. He said there should be an extended tax holiday, even for six months, to bring people back to theaters.“I could make ‘Tumhari Sulu’ because studios could afford to take risks,” he said. He added, “For a film, you are risking Rs 2,000 and then you are feeling bad. That is one of the worst decisions for anyone, given that more entertainment options are available.”Triveni, who grew up in Ranchi and comes from a South Indian family, also praised Malayalam cinema. “I know people watched a lot of Malayalam movies post-COVID but I grew up watching them,” he said. He called Sreenivasan, Sibi Malayil and Priyadarshan “terrific filmmakers.”He said Malayalam filmmakers understand “glocal” storytelling and revealed he once planned to remake Fahadh Faasil’s 'Thondimuthalum Drisakshiyum' but “did not have the guts to go in that direction.” He also praised 'Eko', 'The Patriot', Mammootty in 'Bramayugam,' and Mohanlal.