The Romantics director Smriti Mundhra: It’s just too bad that the word ‘Bollywood’ is so catchy

In the much-anticipated Netflix documentary series The Romantics' trailer, prominent figures from the Hindi film industry may be seen criticising the term "Bollywood." The documentary series, which pays homage to Yash Chopra's legacy, YRF, and its cultural influence on India over the past 50 years, has a number of mega-stars challenging the term "Bollywood," which some claim was given to them informally by the West.

The mega-stars and icons of Hindi cinema, including Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Salim Khan, Rani Mukerji, Hrithik Roshan, and Anushka Sharma, have all spoken out against the use of the term "Bollywood" because they believe it excludes other film industries.

Oscar- and Emmy-nominated director Smriti Mundhra, who previously worked with Netflix on Indian Matchmaking and the Never Have I Ever series, is back with The Romantics.

Smriti says, “I was surprised to learn how unanimously people in the industry hate the term Bollywood. But in hindsight it makes perfect sense. Who would want to be defined in the context of a totally different entity, especially with a term that feels reductive and derivative?” She adds, “The Hindi film industry, and indeed all the regional industries that make up Indian cinema, are juggernauts unto their own. It’s just too bad that the word ‘Bollywood’ is so catchy!”

35 prominent film industry figures who have closely worked with YRF throughout the course of its 50-year history will be featured in this four-part docu-series on Netflix. They will collectively delve into the development of Hindi cinema, highlighting YRF's role in popularising the genre and its major actors on a global scale with their innovative and historically significant films.

Aditya Chopra, the head of the renowned Yash Raj Films, interestingly also recorded his first on-camera interview for "The Romantics." For the film industry, cinephiles, and general moviegoers, hearing him discuss YRF and the Hindi film industry in this docu-series will be a major highlight.