<p>James Cameron’s Avatar has set a series of movies going the 3D way but it sure does raise questions on the scope of 3D films made by Indian directors.<br /> <br />Considering the fact that it has been more than two decades since the release of the Malayalam movie My Dear Kuttichathan and the Jackie Shroff starrer Shiva Ka Insaaf, one wonders why there haven’t been many such ventures in India. <br /><br />One of the major setbacks that many film-makers say, for them to come out with 3D movies, is the cash and manpower. Idream Production House in Mumbai was supposed to bring out their latest horror film Fired in a 3D version, but backed out because of the lack of skilled manpower. <br /><br />“Money is not such a big issue in Bollywood as we have so many big productions coming up. We really couldn’t find that many skilled personnel to help us bring out the film in 3D. But now, we have sent a team that’s trained enough and will soon start a 3D production based on Suppandi. So it does look promising,” says Jattin Kapoor, head-marketing of IDream Production.<br /><br />Whereas a distribution company for 3D movies called Scrabble Entertainment, says that the scope of 3D cinema in the country is huge and the proof for this is the increase in the number of cinema halls. “Before Avatar, there were very few halls that had the facility to screen 3D movies. But today, all over India, there around 63 movie halls that are fully enabled,” says Ranjit Thakur, CEO, Scrabble Entertainment. <br /><br />The company, that also sends teams to Los Angeles for training in the medium, says that many production houses from India have approached them for training. In fact, news has it that from South, a big production house from Chennai, has approached them. “To shoot a 3D film, one has to shoot back-to-back unlike Bollywood. Considering many South Indian films work in that manner, there is scope for many films out there,” says Ranjit while adding, “but there is the question of the cost.” <br /><br />With a list of almost 23 three-dimensional movies in the pipeline, Ranjit says that many of them are even being dubbed into regional languages and getting released. “This is a great cost-cutting measure. Plus the cinema reaches out to a wider audience who feel closer to the image,” he adds. But then, it leaves out the Kannada audience as one cannot have films dubbed in Kannada.<br /><br />Director Prakash says that there is still a long way to go before Kannada cinema industry can venture into this medium. Calling it a fad that will soon die down, he says, “The same thing happened when Chota Chethan released. People said it is the next big thing. But then when it didn’t work out, everything died down.” <br /><br />Apart from cash and lack of trained technician, he says, “There is also the big factor on how one can incorporate the right kind of subject to this technique. With the kind of movies coming out in the industry, none of them can be seen in a 3D format.”</p>
<p>James Cameron’s Avatar has set a series of movies going the 3D way but it sure does raise questions on the scope of 3D films made by Indian directors.<br /> <br />Considering the fact that it has been more than two decades since the release of the Malayalam movie My Dear Kuttichathan and the Jackie Shroff starrer Shiva Ka Insaaf, one wonders why there haven’t been many such ventures in India. <br /><br />One of the major setbacks that many film-makers say, for them to come out with 3D movies, is the cash and manpower. Idream Production House in Mumbai was supposed to bring out their latest horror film Fired in a 3D version, but backed out because of the lack of skilled manpower. <br /><br />“Money is not such a big issue in Bollywood as we have so many big productions coming up. We really couldn’t find that many skilled personnel to help us bring out the film in 3D. But now, we have sent a team that’s trained enough and will soon start a 3D production based on Suppandi. So it does look promising,” says Jattin Kapoor, head-marketing of IDream Production.<br /><br />Whereas a distribution company for 3D movies called Scrabble Entertainment, says that the scope of 3D cinema in the country is huge and the proof for this is the increase in the number of cinema halls. “Before Avatar, there were very few halls that had the facility to screen 3D movies. But today, all over India, there around 63 movie halls that are fully enabled,” says Ranjit Thakur, CEO, Scrabble Entertainment. <br /><br />The company, that also sends teams to Los Angeles for training in the medium, says that many production houses from India have approached them for training. In fact, news has it that from South, a big production house from Chennai, has approached them. “To shoot a 3D film, one has to shoot back-to-back unlike Bollywood. Considering many South Indian films work in that manner, there is scope for many films out there,” says Ranjit while adding, “but there is the question of the cost.” <br /><br />With a list of almost 23 three-dimensional movies in the pipeline, Ranjit says that many of them are even being dubbed into regional languages and getting released. “This is a great cost-cutting measure. Plus the cinema reaches out to a wider audience who feel closer to the image,” he adds. But then, it leaves out the Kannada audience as one cannot have films dubbed in Kannada.<br /><br />Director Prakash says that there is still a long way to go before Kannada cinema industry can venture into this medium. Calling it a fad that will soon die down, he says, “The same thing happened when Chota Chethan released. People said it is the next big thing. But then when it didn’t work out, everything died down.” <br /><br />Apart from cash and lack of trained technician, he says, “There is also the big factor on how one can incorporate the right kind of subject to this technique. With the kind of movies coming out in the industry, none of them can be seen in a 3D format.”</p>
