: The film's producer, Nazim Rizvi, and financier, Bharat Shah, were arrested after investigations revealed the film was funded by the Mumbai underworld (specifically Chhota Shakeel).
Bollywood stands at a precipice. It can continue to rely on the "babe press" to hype "suck entertainment" until the industry collapses under its own vanity. Or it can return to what made Indian cinema great in the 1950s, 70s, and early 2000s: stories that matter, performed by humans, not "babes," reviewed by journalists, not sycophants.
Producers know that their script is weak. They know the dialogue is cringe. They know the VFX looks like a PS2 game. So, what do they do? They don’t fix the script. Instead, they call the "Babe Press." : The film's producer, Nazim Rizvi, and financier,
The entertainment press operates on a foundational model of high velocity and high emotional resonance. In a digital ecosystem dictated by algorithmic discovery, media outlets frequently employ specific editorial strategies to maximize visibility. Clickbait and Attention Economy
Critics now argue that Bollywood has degenerated into —an industry more concerned with Instagram likes and viral moments than with genuine filmmaking. As one industry commentator put it, “Today, Bollywood has hardly any independent producers. No new producers. No fresh ideas. No innovative distribution or marketing strategies. A few years ago, there were a dozen studios—now just two or three remain, and they too are monopolistic and here for reasons other than filmmaking”. Or it can return to what made Indian
One thing is certain: The era of suck entertainment is ending. The babe press is losing its grip. And real cinema, dusty and defiant, is ready to take its bow.
Bollywood is no longer just about three-hour musicals and dramatic monologues; it has transformed into a 24/7 digital spectacle. The "press" aspect of this ecosystem has evolved from monthly glossy magazines to instant, viral updates that capture every "babe"—a colloquial term often used by paparazzi and tabloids to describe the industry's leading ladies—as they exit gyms, airports, or film sets. This constant stream of content creates an addictive form of entertainment that fans around the world "suck" in or consume with insatiable appetites. They know the VFX looks like a PS2 game
"Babe press" refers to media outlets—print tabloids, YouTube channels, Instagram gossip pages—that frame female celebrities primarily as sexual spectacles. Headlines focus on body parts ("Deepika's cleavage show"), relationship status ("Kareena's bikini body"), and moral policing ("Ananya's night out"). This is not celebrity journalism; it is a systematic reduction of women to babe as a category devoid of talent, opinion, or agency.
Modern filmmakers and actresses have actively subverted old pulp tropes. Films like The Dirty Picture (which directly explored the tragic exploitation of late-20th-century erotic cinema stars) and Lipstick Under My Burkha confronted female sexuality and media hypocrisy head-on.