@Meetu, I think if you're judging an actor, then yes, versatility is important, but if you're judging a performance, then "what else" the actor is good at shouldn't matter at all.
Anuj, I understand that you don't like movies made by these directors, or movies in which Naseeruddin Shah has performed. That's a valid opinion. But I don't understand why you insist that the 2% that you claim watch these movies should not be allowed to watch the kind of movies they like. Surely it is equally valid for them to have entertainment they enjoy once in a while? And presumably they are quite thankful that these guys are making the kind of movies they enjoy.
You do have a point about profits for producers, distributors, etc. But remember, nobody is forcing anybody to produce and distribute these films. The fact that they choose to do so, reflects that people expect these movies to be commercially viable on average - of course any individual movie can lose money, but if all of these (in your words) "classy" films lost money, then I can assure you that people wouldn't continue to throw money at them.
As well, you seem to miss the point that there are levels of commercial viability other than the levels seen by Dabangg, Chennai Express, Dhoom 3, etc. Not every movie can be one of these, and thus it is equally important to have movies that are not super hits, but still viable, profitable, and serve the entertainment needs of minorities.
Finally, there is no doubt that some people consider making "quality" movies (based on their own definition of quality) to be an enterprise worth embarking on independent of commercial considerations. As long as people are putting money in such projects voluntarily, and with a full understanding of what they are doing, this is also a perfectly valid viewpoint. It is not necessary for all of India to have exactly the same tastes and priorities - and I'm sure India is a happier place because of it.
Just the first two lines from the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, ("Main rahoon ya main nahin") and the trailer already sends tingles up my spine.
@Meetu, I think if you're judging an actor, then yes, versatility is important, but if you're judging a performance, then "what else" the actor is good at shouldn't matter at all.
Anuj, I understand that you don't like movies made by these directors, or movies in which Naseeruddin Shah has performed. That's a valid opinion. But I don't understand why you insist that the 2% that you claim watch these movies should not be allowed to watch the kind of movies they like. Surely it is equally valid for them to have entertainment they enjoy once in a while? And presumably they are quite thankful that these guys are making the kind of movies they enjoy.
You do have a point about profits for producers, distributors, etc. But remember, nobody is forcing anybody to produce and distribute these films. The fact that they choose to do so, reflects that people expect these movies to be commercially viable on average - of course any individual movie can lose money, but if all of these (in your words) "classy" films lost money, then I can assure you that people wouldn't continue to throw money at them.
As well, you seem to miss the point that there are levels of commercial viability other than the levels seen by Dabangg, Chennai Express, Dhoom 3, etc. Not every movie can be one of these, and thus it is equally important to have movies that are not super hits, but still viable, profitable, and serve the entertainment needs of minorities.
Finally, there is no doubt that some people consider making "quality" movies (based on their own definition of quality) to be an enterprise worth embarking on independent of commercial considerations. As long as people are putting money in such projects voluntarily, and with a full understanding of what they are doing, this is also a perfectly valid viewpoint. It is not necessary for all of India to have exactly the same tastes and priorities - and I'm sure India is a happier place because of it.