Indian film industry is in "crisis" with its freedom of expression being "threatened", said leading filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. "Indian cinema is going to be threatened. What is in jeopardy today is the right to say things the way I see it. The very breath of cinema is its freedom to speak fearlessly and unfortunately that is under fire," Bhatt said at an interaction organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. "I feel now government of India has suddenly woken up to the new cinematography being put together now. As of now the Indian film industry is in great crisis because we are fighting fringe elements outside, the interest groups outside who use film industry products as planks to ride on to sell their own politics and do irreversible damage to us," he added.

Bhatt is known for making critically acclaimed movies like Saaraansh, Arth and Zakhm besides writing the story and screenplay for popular erotic noir films like Jism and Jism 2. Highlighting the negative aspect of making content-based movies, he felt it was sure to stir up issues. "We are in serious serious curb now because if we make anything which is contentious then we are certain to have problems," said Bhatt. According to him, the film industry is being plagued by "dumbing down of thought" and not taking risks. "There is no denying that dumbing down of thought which has taken place. The stakes have gone higher. The content has been dumbed down. We are not taking the risks that we used to take earlier," said Bhatt.