Shekhar Suman shares actresses used to get exploited earlier: 'Biggest advantage today is the freedom we have'

Shekhar Suman is currently in the news for his latest show, 'The Pyramid Scheme', and during the promotional interaction of the same, he opened up about the dark side of old Bollywood. He also shared how the industry has evolved and his unfiltered views on money and power.In conversation with Mid-Day, Shekhar Suman shared how the industry used to function before. He said, "I think the biggest advantage today is the freedom we have to tell stories."The veteran actor added, "Earlier, filmmakers were often told that certain subjects wouldn't work and that films needed big stars and strong business propositions to get made. The entire system functioned that way." He further shared, "Today, however, there is far more creative freedom, and we can make the kind of content we truly believe in."He went further, calling out the rigid formula that once governed mainstream Hindi films. He said, "Films in the past were often confined to a comfort zone and reluctant to experiment."Talking about how the industry used to follow a pattern, he said, "There was a fixed template, a hero, a heroine, songs, romance, a villain, and eventually a happy ending. The focus wasn't always on the story; it was often on how many stars the film could attract. Earlier, films were driven by actors, but now characters are being empowered by actors."In the same conversation, Shekhar Sumar shared that due to a lack of opportunities, many actors used to get exploited. When enquired further, he shared that producers used to pressure actresses to meet them at hotels and cafes against their will. He said, "Many talented people who may not have received opportunities in traditional cinema due to industry limitations and other circumstances. Earlier, there was exploitation in the film industry. Today, directors, producers, and writers enjoy the freedom to create and tell stories on their own terms."Shekhar Suman also talked about how money has become the most powerful thing in the world. He said, "I think money is the biggest power in the world. Many brave men bowed down. You will see that in front of uneducated millionaires, educated people bow their heads and touch their feet because that is the power of money."Directed by Shreyash Pandey with Ashish R Shukla, the web show features Paramvir Singh Cheema, Ranvir Shorey, Shekhar Suman, Aanjjan Srivastav, Alfia Jafry, and Vijay Kumar. It has started streaming on Amazon Prime Video on June 5, 2026.