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What makes a good film? Who knows?
I have been at a strange phase of movie-watching since quite some time now. The natural curiosity to watch a story unfold is lost. I remember this began early this millennium when the Hindi film industry was at its all-time low in terms of stories and presentation. Not much of a Hollywood fan and back in the college days, access to world cinema was a thing almost unheard of and the Hindi movies around weren’t anything to perk up the slightest of interest. A cool time-pass was all that was expected but no, not happening.
I remember watching old movies with mum on Saturday evenings and random afternoons and relishing the experience like no other. And even today those (or select foreign movies) are the only one’s that can raise any kind of interest. Is this got to do with some kind of over-exposure? No. There is real long way to go before that happens.
The outlines of the problem grew clearer recently. The problem lies out there. Our cinema is changing, yes, its a well-known fact. But changing into what? Or is it too early to say? This worries me no end.
According to an article 26 film-makers debuted last year. WHOA! I said. That’s the best sign of the opening up of an industry used to following its own archaic laws. Of an industry ruled by people forever hunting for formulae and never willing to take a risk just because promising isn’t enough. It has to be established and successful as well. Suddenly, you hear everyone signing multi-film deals left, right and centre, Hollywood coming to our doorstep for talents, co-productions, money flowing in like there was no tomorrow, collaborations happening everywhere and the general industry public looking more than floundered at all this opportunity falling from heaven.
In the bargain what suffers? The movie.
No, its not the acting, stories, dialogues, themes, ideologies (or any such grand stuff). It’s only the screenplay sense which is so hard to come by. Most of the first/second-timer movies I watch lack in this aspect. To the extent that I almost miss the 90’s ka madness which according to me was the worst phase of movie-making.
And the audiences ain’t liking it anymore either. Flops, flops and some more may just mean that this warm welcoming of debutante directors might just end soon. Yes, there have been gems churned along with crap but if the industry looked at flops as levelly as it does hit then it wouldn’t be the place it is today.
Earlier, even a decade earlier, there used to be some kind of engagement with a film however horrible the overall film may be. There never was a downright apathy in response while viewing it. But today, most films that come out are so. What has been lost in the process, I can’t put a finger on it. I mean, masters of screenplay Rajkumar Santoshi, Abbas-Mustan are completely losing it these days, what could be worse! Clearly, their school is on its way out with the new generation of audiences. So what is replacing it? Vishesh Films trash? Shabby wannabe films by PNC? Monster-shine, coloured lip-gloss by Yashraj? Seems like both, commercial and multi-plex (or want of a better word) films are going for such a steady downhill that soon everyone from Hrithik to Ritesh will have to return all their crores.
In the current film I am AD-ing on (Dharmesh Darshan’s ‘Bhanvraa’) I have been meeting a number of professionals who have been working here for decades. They aren’t very comfortable with the way things are beginning to change. The industry has its own ways of working and the thought-process doesn’t seem like it is in any hurry to change. Egos, personal relationships and the BO status of your last film govern every interaction, transaction and decision. The system is creating one kind of movies. But its counterpart is doing no better. And more importantly, no one seems to know the art as well as past masters. So, then who knows? And in such a scenario, how will, us, students then know?
13 Responses to “What makes a good film? Who knows?”
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Bollywood film industry has not completely failed. I am impressed with some of the movies that came out last year. Bheja Fry, Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, Aahista Aahista, Manorama Six Feet Under (Yes, I have become an Abhay Deol fan), Mithya, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Metro……Most of the low budget movies (not the B or C grade kind of low budget) have tried something different. A simple way of telling a story. No more melodramatic scenes, no more crazy senseless comedy, no more spoon feeding stories and yet entertainig. I am happy that now the directors/producers are investing in a subject which is more of a Novel kind than a movie.
The biggest losers were so called high paid (in multiple millions now) mainstream actors. I am angry for the fact that the directors/producers/actors think that you can make a senseless movie and still it will work. The worst part is it still works. Movies like Masti, Dhamal, Kya Kool Hai Hum, Dhol, Welcome, Krazy 4, Mr. Black Mr. White (the list just keep growing every friday) prove that. There are many more just like these in the pipeline.
I guess, you need bad movies to appreciate good movies. Its a balance in its own way.
what in thw world made u assist DD?
yes what in the world made u assist DD??!!!
Rajkumar Santoshi, Abbas-Mustan masters of screenplay??? When was that golden age of bollywood??
Hehehehe…desperation…kind of :)
Rudro,
They were never a representative of anything golden about their time but they knew how to keep the audience engaged. We don’t realise but its far more difficult to do so in a commercial pot-boiler. Their ideas, themes etc maybe idiotic but their story-telling doesn’t let your attention waver. That, I think is the basic AND ultimate job of a good screenplay.I’d even go as far to put David Dhawan in the same league. Not the now one, but older one, the Aaankhen one.
But then, this post is not to discuss the merits or demerits of certain writers/directors.
Fatema like u said that the scene is better…lot of changes r taking place…i feel this is an exiciting phase…things r much better and positive and one can really go ahead and make a film which has a refreshing story/performances/etc
few reasons which have helped….
A) emergence of multiplexes…
B) i feel the number of ppl who can fund hv increased…lot of corporates + our established producers are also trying to convert into the studio format and aiming for multiple films in a year…
C) ek sabse acchi baat we have a decent audience base for almost all the genres…u have an audience for films like race…om shanti om…welcome to bheja fry…iqbal…khosla ka ghosla and many more…
Lot of first time film makers + writers et al have done so well in the recent times…downhill toh nahin lag raha hai…
Toh bas yaar ghoom phirkar wohi puraani baat…there is no formula for success…keep trying!! Hope u make many successful films in ur career….DON GIVE UP!! ?
Nice post Fatema.. And I agree.. I was just ranting about the same stuff in my last post here on PFC (http://passionforcinema.com/what-made-those-masala-films-so-damn-good/). You’ve mentioned filmmakers of the 90’s, I was making reference more to the Masala filmmakers of the 70’s.
I think the key is, as you so rightly stated, the lack of audience involvement/engagement. Now either films are overly intellectual (admittedly very very few fall into this category) and thus are failing to connect to the audiences (Raincoat, No Smoking) or the films are absolutely unintellegent and, as you so succintly put it, cause the viewers to be apathetic at best and irratable at worst. These films, unfortunately, there are plenty of.
And the more I think about it, the more I feel that filmmakers are focussing too much on making certain KINDS of films (comedies, films appealing to international audiences, etc) and not focussing enough on making films designed to engage the audience. And that’s the factor that’s missing.
It’s gotten tougher as the audience themselves have been segregated. Single Screen vs. Multiplex vs. NRI vs. Connoseurs of international cinema. Earlier it seems, the audience was more united, or at least not as diverse. And filmmakers thus catered to that audience.
As my screenwriting instructor hammered into our heads “It all boils down to Audience & Purpose. When you lose that, you lose your foundation…”
Looking at the positive side, its good that experimentation is happening… good, bad or indifferent!
Well look at the brighter side as well.A small film like Taare Zameen Par with minumum publicity,no “pyar,mohabbat” goes on to become a big hit and totally by word of mouth.Even films like Johnny Gaddar,Mithya is highly appreciated and dvd sales shoot up.These are encouraging signs.
” Taare Zameen Par with minumum publicity,no “pyar,mohabbat””
Really? What about all the controversy with running down Black! And the previews and publicity were all over. Amair is well known to create controversy for publicity just before any of his films release. The film with no “naach gaana rona dhona” and very little publicity was Chak De India.
Anurag Basu is actually one of the guys who has seen world cinema and therefore thinks he is safe when he “pays homage” by ripping off what he has seen.
Think about it , Billy Wilder’s “The Apartment” … but Basu chose to cut out the entire character and give it to Ritesh Desh’muck’ in his role in the movie “Metro” … Shameless …
Wong Kar Wai , Kim Ki Duk … Who hasn’t he stolen from ? and you acclaim him for making movies that are different ? Different how ?
Even simple things like camera angles and shots these guys can’t come up with their own … everything is either a “homage” or an “inspiration” !
The Usual Suspects become “Chocolate” … Even if it is a horrible movie , but yet original , there are people who will appreciate you … but this , this does not deserve a thing !
Fatema, as u rightly said that in today’s times movies in our Indian Film Industry haven’t still come of age….There are very few film makers in between who have the guts to venture into unknown territory and make a movie that actually shakes or dazzles us as an audience….
The most important aspect of film making is the screenplay which has lost significance in our industry….
Even once u do devise a screenplay there are 10 different ways of narrating a story and it depends on the film maker to make the narrative exciting enough for the audiences….
Films like Bheja Fry,Manorama, Dil dosti etc.,Loins of Punjab,Khosla ka Ghosla,Mithya do prove that….
This revolution just needs to start out on a large scale process….Till then we still have to make do with the same trash that is doled out to Indian audiences….who also tend to accept this trash….