tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post607930863230249118..comments2023-10-22T18:08:08.098+05:30Comments on Banno, Dhanno and Teja: the david and goliath of film makingBannohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433419825301622636noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-8425045075567573972009-11-27T08:57:02.315+05:302009-11-27T08:57:02.315+05:30Ajnabi, regional distributors are doing well in so...Ajnabi, regional distributors are doing well in some cases, for instance, Bhojpuri films. As Aspi points out, the problem also is trying to make films which address the whole Indian market. Very difficult. And so we are left with a MacDonald's burger. Not identifiable food. :)<br /><br />Wonder if as film makers we can start a movement with low budget films, and low cost projection, like a travelling theatre. Some of us are discussing it on FB. I know it probably sounds idealistic and unrealistic. But what is the alternative? Fighting for government subsidies?<br /><br />The Quirky Indian, are Wake Up Sid, Kurbaan, etc, really different? Am not sure.Bannohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03855784743978203037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-22280013619560090062009-11-26T11:11:32.911+05:302009-11-26T11:11:32.911+05:30Very well argued, Banno, and I would have to agree...Very well argued, Banno, and I would have to agree with most of what you say. It is finally about telling a good story and that is where people are going wrong. On the flip side, there seems to be a trend - probably as a reaction - to glorify and praise films simply because they are 'different', even if these films (like Wake Up Sid, Kurbaan, Jail, Fashion) really don't deserve any praise or appreciation. To make matters worse, we have the 'regular-Bollywood-type' but also horribly expensive films like Blue and Kambahkth Ishq which only serve to alienate the audience further. Is it any wonder they flocked to watch 2012?<br /><br />Quirky IndianThe Quirky Indianhttp://quirkyindian.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-36325450703214714972009-11-25T03:18:45.627+05:302009-11-25T03:18:45.627+05:30banno, perhaps the rub is in that 'rural india...banno, perhaps the rub is in that 'rural india' is very diverse - so hard to pinpoint as a demographic and make a film for. For e.g. how many people across rural india (i'm talking across North/South/East/West) would have seen their life reflected in Welcome to Sajjanpur? <br /><br />On the other hand, the urban experience is becoming more and more homogenized and hence a target demographic that you can speak to emerges. I can put a McDonalds joke in my film and pretty much everyone across urban India will identify with that.<br /><br />I'm not debating your point about the treatment meted out to movies with a rural setting - just trying to get to the bottom of why this situation exists.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08060207061740733110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-66364962311920337872009-11-24T20:24:17.703+05:302009-11-24T20:24:17.703+05:30Totally exposing my ignorance here, I know... But ...Totally exposing my ignorance here, I know... But would you say that a distributor who specialized in getting films to more rural areas, where there is an audience for that sort of thing, could make a business out of it? I mean, even without the arthouse theaters at least then the films would have half a chance, right? Or am I totally wrong. Please explain to the noob. :-)ajnabihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08296593338690811213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-51154307194022691522009-11-24T08:59:03.291+05:302009-11-24T08:59:03.291+05:30Memsaab, totally agree. In my mind, it's not a...Memsaab, totally agree. In my mind, it's not about urban/rural, just good stories. Unfortunately, most of the so-called urban stories are also not about any recognizable urban milieu.<br /><br />I think you are right, the disregard for old prints, bad DVDs, etc all point to a disrespect for film as a medium itself.<br /><br />Aspi, I agree with you about that. People should tell stories that they know about. Even I would be hard put to write a rural/small town story. SInce I've never lived that life. <br /><br />The real problem is that the story telling is not effective.<br /><br />There are many film makers out there, who have made films with different mileus thanks to their own backgrounds. But the people in charge obviously think no one wants to see those films.Bannohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03855784743978203037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-64810976381215016772009-11-24T03:52:55.217+05:302009-11-24T03:52:55.217+05:30I think the issue that I see is that in order to t...I think the issue that I see is that in order to tell a story effectively, you have to have lived it to some extent. Its hard for the urbanites who populate Bollywood to think, conceptualize and finally realize a story set in rural or small town India.<br /><br />I think they are doing the right thing: telling stories that they can tell effectively and genuinely.<br /><br />The real problem could be then that we don't have enough people who have grown up/lived in small towns who are financing or green lighting movies.<br /><br />I'm still waiting for ONE indie movie to make it big and change the equation in Indian cinema. It can happen just like Pulp Fiction happened to the US.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08060207061740733110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-62719283820756081512009-11-23T19:51:16.639+05:302009-11-23T19:51:16.639+05:30Urban-centered films could have good stories too (...Urban-centered films could have good stories too (Life...in a Metro eg)...I think mostly audiences are sick of BAD films with glitz and sfx substituting for content.<br /><br />I hope there are better films being made, but unless I can find them online I have almost no chance at all of seeing them (just d/l Chintuji and can't wait to watch it).<br /><br />I wonder if this general trend is part of the unfortunate tendency of DVD manufacturers to sideline old films and their audiences by putting out completely shoddy (chopped up, songs missing, poor visual and sound quality, gaudy logos superimposed onscreen, etc.) products or if they are unrelated? Either way, it smacks of disrespect for anyone with half a brain. Welcome to the modern world, I guess...memsaabhttp://memsaabstory.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10318523.post-91249244615514824452009-11-23T17:47:11.353+05:302009-11-23T17:47:11.353+05:30I agree with you Banno. Most of us are nauseatingl...I agree with you Banno. Most of us are nauseatingly sick of the Love Aaj Kals, Wake up Sids, Karan Johar cinema. What happened to the likes of Naya Daur, Purab aur Paschim, Mother India, Awaraa, Pyasaa or Do Aankhen Barah Haath or Gulaal.. My knowledge of the documentary films is rather limited so I can't really talk about them. <br />As a film buff, I am so bored of the movies that deal with highly-urban lives. I want the rustic, a bit more meaningful, and a lot more real India portrayed.pulkitshttp://www.pulkits.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com