I attended a film press conference where the press never got to speak

If journalists can't ask questions, is it really still called a press conference? Across film promotions, carefully curated interactions are replacing genuine conversations, with stars and PR teams controlling the narrative at every step. The result: plenty of publicity, but very little press.

In Short

• Press conferences now often mimic press events with no real Q&A
• Journalists face scripted, controlled interactions during film promotions
• Media forced to endure repetitive promotional content

Before we get into it, here's a quick distinction worth making. A press conference is meant to be a two-way street - one where the journalists ask questions, talents answer them, and the conversation unfolds in real time. A press event, on the other hand, is largely a showcase, with the media present mainly to cover what's happening. So the problem here is: More and more film promotions today seem to blur that line. Events are being packaged as press conferences, but the actual interaction that defines a conference is being missed.

So, when did press conferences start becoming press events in disguise?

Because I went to attend one such recently, and felt like the water had crossed the bridge enough for me to dedicate these words to it. Let me tell you exactly how it unfolded, like I'm sitting across from you explaining the whole frustrating day.

It all started on a Delhi sunny noon – the kind that puts the Rasna ads to shame. The temperature was 45 degrees, the kind of heat that makes you question every life choice. I was right in the middle of my morning shift at the office, buried in work, but this was for a big, highly anticipated Pan-India film.

The invite had clearly said "press conference," and we double-checked with the team. So I quickly booked a cab, stuffed my heavy 2-kilo bag with my laptop, charger, recorder, notepad – everything I might need – and rushed out during lunch hour. Journalists rarely get to eat on time, right? I grabbed whatever I could on the way, sweating in the back seat as the cab inched through the scorching streets.

I reached the venue, joined dozens of other journalists who had arrived hours early to set up cameras and prepare notes. Everyone looked ready for real work. Then the stars walked in – the leading Pan-India superstar and that certain golden girl. There was an uproar, thunderous applause, flashes going off everywhere.

They stepped on stage, talked a bit about the film – the experience, the mood, the challenges on set, the vibe, what audiences should expect. They smiled, waved, thanked everyone... and just like that, in the same breath, it was goodbyes. The so-called press conference ended almost as soon as it started.

But that wasn’t even the worst part.

For the next two hours, we journalists were forced to sit there like obedient fans. The emcee kept making undignified, sleazy, and often downright misogynistic comments about the lead female actor throughout the event – remarks that should have no place in any professional gathering. Instead of calling it out, parts of the crowd laughed and cheered.

Meanwhile, we had to endure promotional clips, trailers, songs, and pre-packaged videos playing one after another on loop. The emcee then fired off a bunch of painfully generic, pre-decided questions: “How are you feeling in Delhi?” “What’s your beauty routine?” “How incredible was it working together on this film everyone is waiting for?” Blah blah... Nothing meaningful. Nothing that actually informed anyone. But still, we had to bare everything to record each moment, just in case.

I kept checking my watch, thinking about my unfinished tasks back at the office, the cab fare I had spent, the sweat still sticking to my shirt – all for this carefully controlled show that felt like a total waste of time.

This wasn't just my bad day. It's a repeated trend that's becoming normal. Journalists get called to different cities with big promises, only to face the same thing.

A friend who travelled to Vijaywada (from Chennai) came back completely disappointed with an identical setup. Another colleague in Hyderabad faced the same dilemma. During the promotions for this same film in Bhopal, the media was promised a full concert-like experience with the star composer. Some even paid for tickets upfront. But it turned into another hollow promotional gathering. Fans ranted on social media afterwards, but no one took ownership.

Journalists are now asked to send questions in advance so they can filter them out. The excuse? "To save time, one person asks, everyone listens." This controlling trend already started in one-on-one interviews. There are backdoor ways to quietly sideline the journalists who push back.

Even Zoom calls and special interactions are heavily monitored these days. One of my colleagues was interviewing a talent a few months ago, and the PR who arranged the call strictly instructed her to refrain from asking any professional or film-related questions. I mean, what was she supposed to ask then? How he gained weight recently or what his current weekly binge-watching routine looks like?

It felt absurd, almost insulting to the very purpose of journalism.

While all this was happening quietly behind closed doors, it's now spilling into press conferences too. Whatever little space was left for genuine journalism in entertainment reporting feels like it's disappearing fast.

You can either survive the Delhi heatwave or this kind of behaviour. Both together? That's asking for too much.

After sitting through that entire disappointing afternoon in the Delhi heat, one question kept echoing in my head: What exactly are these stars so afraid of?

They can always say, "I'm not comfortable answering this," or "It's not the right time," or "I don't want to take the focus away from the film." That's their right. But why deny us journalists the basic right to even ask the question? Why turn every interaction into a tightly rehearsed performance where real curiosity is treated like a threat?

Are we really heading towards a future where press conferences are reduced to glorified fan meets and actors only speak when the questions are pre-approved and flattering?

We've already reached a stage where film reviews are being controlled and managed. Promotions are now scripted with as much caution as the films themselves. It was somewhat understandable when it stayed limited to college fests, mall outings, train journeys, or jungle safari gimmicks. But press conferences? Come on, have a breather already and save some of that energy for post-release narrative control.

Me? I'm just a journalist who will keep packing my bag tomorrow – laptop and devices inside, maybe a book on better days – eating lunch on the go, trying to beat the Delhi heat. And occasionally trying to beat the PR machinery at their own game.

Because if they keep scripting everything, the least we can do is refuse to stay silent about it.

- Ends