At the NDTV World Summit 2025, actor Ishaan Khatter discussed how the Indian film industry differs from Hollywood. He noted that while storytelling is a shared mission worldwide, the way things are done varies greatly. According to him, Hollywood tends to have a clearly structured process, whereas in Bollywood things can feel more improvised and adaptive.
Khatter described the Bollywood environment as “very jugaadu, passionate.” He added that Indian film teams often go above and beyond the stated working hours. He contrasted that with Hollywood’s practice of switching off as soon as the day ends.
Reflecting on the eight-hour shift debate in the industry, Khatter said he has witnessed situations where time protocols are stretched or ignored. He stressed the importance of being considerate of all people on set — recognising that while actors may have the privilege of stating their hours, many crew members do not. He remarked, “Acting is a work of passion … sometimes we see actors go beyond their shift and see their passion realised.”
Also, Khatter touched upon his upcoming film Homebound, calling it deeply personal and “rare, very humane.” He shared that its journey — including screenings at major international festivals — has felt surreal and meaningful to him.
