From left: Avtar Panesar, Anupam Kher, Ashutosh Gowariker and film critic Rajeev Masand during the panel session yesterday.Shaival Dalal
By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: The Indian cinema’s dramatic transformations and its journey into the global arena were discussed at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival’s (DTFF’s) Doha Talks, yesterday, as the festival paid a special tribute to late director Yash Chopra.
‘Going Global: Can Bollywood Films really Cross Over?’ discussed if there is a real need for the Indian cinema to cross boundaries.
“Indian cinema is not only Bollywood or Hindi cinema. Who necessarily want to make song and dance should do that, but others who want to make different genre films, make it.
One section wants local audience, others want to go global,” said Ashutosh Gowariker DTFF’s Jury Member and renowned director of films such as Lagaan and Jodha Akbar.
“Indian cinema should make English films, with universal themes. Indian cinema has to jump out of the well,” he said.
Indian cinema, especially the Bollywood, has witnessed some dramatic transformations over the past decade. The progress of technology and new models of film production, distribution and exhibition have given rise to a variety of innovative business models – and a growing audience base.
This panel with Rajeev Masand, a film critic as the moderator, Yash Raj Films vice president Avtar Panesar and actor Anupam Kher, discussed the journey of commercial Hindi films into the global arena, and tried to address some key issues, specifically in Bollywood and Indian cinema in general. The panellists tried to address questions as why has Bollywood so far been unable to appeal to a broad global audience while smaller, independent Indian films continue to find international acclaim? How can commercial Hindi cinema reach the next level of audience saturation? And just as importantly, does it even need to?
“Our films are made for our people, do we need to reach global audiences?” questioned Kher.
The Peninsula
