Rostam Batmanglij Quotes

Music is always a reflection of what's going on in the hearts and minds of the culture.

It's hard to make a cultural phenomenon every time.

So our films had a lot more to them than entertainment value, and I'm glad that a lot of people recognize that now. People realize now the value of them as educational.

People constantly make pop-culture references. That's why it's called popular culture, because people are aware of it and reference it constantly.

Music is always a commentary on society.

Art never harms itself by keeping aloof from the social problems of the day: rather, by so doing, it more completely realises for us that which we desire.

The best songs/films/collections expose truths about life and make them universally accessible; they progress humanity.

We do want to be diverted and be interested and be provoked by popular culture - by art, if we're lucky. And it's amazing how often people have lost sight of this.

I believe that art can make relevant and progressive contributions to culture and society.

Thinking about the artists I've loved through the years, my favorites are the ones who've made music with cultural, societal and political significance.

I make music as good as possible, but I do reference cultural icons, because I want my music to be a time capsule of 2007.

That was always what I felt was the beauty of Rock 'n' Roll, it was entertainment and showbiz yet it had the idea of the voice of the people, it had an essence to it which was socially motivated. Not that I want to change to world, you know? But it was sort of relevant to real life, it involved the real essence of poetry or the real essence of fine art. But it was also entertainment. That was the real vitality.

literature is an instrument of a culture, not a summary of it.

I think I have a responsibility as a film-maker to bring not only controversial subject matter to the screen but also to inspire a thought process.

It's extremely important that plays reflect contemporary times and should not just be about asking for social change without having any connect with the audience.

As an artist, you're just observing the world around you. So much is overwhelming and it's all so inescapable that it can't all speak to general cultural statements.

I have been skeptical, sometimes, about the importance of rap music, which I think is a capitalistic project to make money.

I believe, as artists, I do think we have a responsibility, and there's also a place for a lot of different artists. It is nice when music captures the honesty of the time but also what we're going through in that moment.

I pour my blood, sweat, and tears into a movie. What I always look for is a message and a social consciousness: a relevance to what's happening in our world.

Bands speak for us in this inevitable way that you can't get anywhere else because it is this perfect balance of artistic expression and popular culture.

The only serious function films can serve is to act as a record of their times.

Roja,' 'Bombay' and 'Dil Se' weren't planned as political films. It was a phase India was going through and these things affected me and found their way into my work.

It's easier to make art for a society at a certain point in time with an understanding of what's going on.

'Narcos' was a very strong experience, not only artistically and politically, but as a human being.

At this point, in 2008, if you put out a book, a movie, or write a verse, paint a painting, it should have some sort of social value.