Scope for real issues

Cinema Content

Three years ago Tare Zameen Par, projected dyslexia and swept the box office.This was followed by Ghajini, Paa, My Name Is Khan and recently Karthik Calling Karthik. All these films talk about a common thing, a little known disease or disorder. On the same lines came films based on terrorism. Films in this category included Fanaa, New York, Kurbaan and A Wednesday. If one observes this trend, one can assume that Bollywood is churning out films that are mostly repetitive in storyline and content.

But what do youngsters have to say about this? Though most of them agree about the repetitive content, they believe that the last few years have brought about drastic changes in mainstream cinema. According to them, films have acquired a stronger voice and a popular approach.

“Bollywood has got a new makeover, it is not what it was 10 years ago. The industry has a new breed of film-makers who have been trying something new with subjects, roles, and techniques. When we consider films like Black and White, Delhi 6, Firaaq, Parzania, Provoked and Videsh, we had stuff for serious discussions. Along with the entertainment factor, films have been giving scope for real issues as well,’’ says Vikram, a movie buff.
“When it comes to experimenting, Amitabh Bachchan set a new record in Paa. Among the actors, he is the most versatile and dynamic,’’ he adds.

More or less the same opinion is shared by Rajguru. “Those were the days of big sentiments, high family drama, intense and impractical love stories. I was fed up of watching such dramas. Finally, efforts have been made to grasp young minds. Now, Indian movies are catching up with Hollywood films in content and story-telling techniques. Race, Dhoom series, and Blue are the yields of this new mindset. My concern is we should overtake Western industry in quality, not in budget. A good film can also be done on a minimum budget like Love, Sex or Dokha, which is shot using a camcorder and yet enjoyable.’’

Rajeev, a media student, is little more analytical about the change and says it is a ‘bitter-sweet’ development. He sees the globalisation of Indian content as aimed at overseas market, “Experiments are really happening but film-makers are taking up formulae, which have been successful in the past and presenting them in new packs. After Tare Zameen Par, disorders became the winning formulae. If one person starts a trend, it is followed till another person sets a different one,” he says.

He is quite happy that even less celebrated issues are drawing the attention of the industry with much debated issues.

“We have films on gay issues, domestic violence, communal riots, political inactivity and old age related problems. There is prominence for regional culture. If we are able to sustain this trend, we can easily become the world leader in movies,’’ he concludes.