When is the time?
iView Author: Ram V (Bangalore, India)
Email: Shrey.dna [at] gmail [dot] com
When is the time? Where are films we want to Patronize… Multiplexes are free
Some days ago, a really agitated filmmaker questioned the inactive audience when they were found windowshopping and psuedo-praising films without taking the one concrete action, watching them. Now, its the time for audience to stand up and question the filmmakers. Its been more than one month that ADZ is running to unpacked houses in multiplexes all over India. Dont we have a good film to replace it? Where are the filmmakers who make off beat, intellegent cinema? Now is the time, Now is your chance…release you stuff, junk or not, people will watch it more than ever before. Why are you sleeping now?
Some are disinterested in change, this article is not for them. For others, who spend hours discussing, marketing strategy, advanced techniques to study audience behavior, which is the good film, which one is bad or Why dont good films succeed? This is your golden chance. You are not part of Bollywood. Prove it now. Get into negotiations with multiplexes, strike deals, release your films now. Re-release old ones, which you think would have sunk without a trace under the muscle power of some Bollywood biggie.
If your films help the multiplexes sustain, despite Bollywood, we are in for a sureshot victory, over big names and bad films.
Now, is this possible? Do these filmmaker really have good films, of which they are confident enough to take on the Bollywood headlong, Or do they have the intent and courage to fight back. Some one earlier said, for every successful Bollywood films, there will be several small films made. I dont know how true this is, if it is, then they are dependent. Are they scavenging on the hunted remains leftover by Bollywood biggies like necrophages? Is so, why call them independent or indie cinemas. What kind of independence is this? It is like rulers of erstwhile princely states in Imperial India being awarded the title Liuetenant General in the Queens Army and still proclaiming themselves a Maharaja (Emperor). A king and a slave at the same time, oxymoronic entities.
Is Bollywood wary of these so called offbeat, small, cute, cho chweet films? No. Why? There is no challenge. There is not enough material in these films to turn the tables upside down. Most of them come out as pretentious goody-two-shoes films where someone is attempting queer humour, crying depraved or preaching secularism. There is no grit, courage displayed but for one or two. There are none which throw a grenade at the audience, and ensure that they go home blasted. If someone like Mysskin, Sasikumar, Bala, Ameer could change the fate of Tamizh cinema with strikingly different, courageous and original cinema, where are the indie film makers, who can match their skills. Now Tamizh film industry is aware of these films and more open to new talent and fresh attempts. So you see gems like Kalloori, Chennai 600028, Vennilla Kabadi Kuzhu coming through and succeed.
Hindi film Industry, Bollywood and sundry has a lesson or two to learn from this, producers strike or not, talent will always stand up on its own legs, if good films are made. Rather than blaming the audience for not watching crap like Firaaq, Straight and Aloo Chat, please make good films. Then, declare wrath on the audience, if its not accepted. We cannot take nonsense, which is bollywood, regional, indepenedent or interdependent. If films like Black Friday, Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi, Gulaal, Socha Na Tha go unnoticed, cry foul, I will whistle along, We will buy tickets, DVDs, or whatever it takes.
We are going great guns over films releasing in festivals all around the world. Why dont these film makers who release QGM, Fakir of Venice, Mohandas, Yes Madam Sir in LA, SF and whereever else, try showing it our own ‘Desi’ audience, in India ? If they have already tried and got cold shoulders from multiplex guys, I have my sympathies with them. If not, they very much deserve the failure and abjection. Someone here enlightens me how complex the whole structure is, and how naive my opinions are. They say, its a long process to get these films on to the theatres, no one will take them. Now, when the theatres are running blank screens, why would they not take them? Go for floor rates, go for the kill. Enter the fray, at least.
Another aspect may bring total dismay, when one is made to realize that this whole multiplex-producer game is a farce. Waiting on IPL , economy, percentage game or whatever. When the filmmakers argue that, whatever may happen, multiplexes would not dare to offend or disregard Bollywood, which is their bread and butter? If its true, where is the loophole? what can be done, to ensure that the shackles are broken, and your films are shown? Think it out, put your good films out there, I am the first one to buy tickets. Else, dont ask the audience or critics to patronize your films competing with Bollywood biggies. The mass audiences are not so susceptible to midnight revolution as you and I may be. But now we have got more than a midnight, a whole fortnight, rather a couple of fortnights left for a revolution. Pick up you weapons, and fire, just ensure that there are no blank shots…
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Ram, even if producers agreed to show their films for free, there is still the cost of P’n'A (prints and advertising)..which someone has to pay for..Releasing even a hundred prints will cost about 50 lakhs, and advertising another Crore or so..
Ram- well written no doubt, but the movies you’ve mentioned like QGM, The Fakir of Venice etc have not been shown so far since they have not been able to get sold, period.Incidentally both these movies are from the same production house- Phat Phish!!! A classic example is Shivaji Chandrabhushan’s Frozen- a brilliant movie ( I’ve seen it) which has gone to 30 odd fests worldwide and won some 18 awards- is finally getting released only now- May 8th.
http://passionforcinema.com/producersdistributors-vs-multiplexes-standoff-the-3rd-dimension/
Check this out, I’ve written on the current situation too of course from a different angle.Frozen,99 & maybe Kal Kissne Dekha will somehow release in May inspite of the strike.But why dont others follow suit?But yes a lot of people have tried hard to get their films released- without much success.
Thanks Sethu…yes..It is sad that Shivajees movie is getting released so late…I wonder when so many people around the world are coming out with wonderful things to say about this movie..why dont our exhibitors/distributors realize the same thing? Maybe Shivajee could answer this better…
But regarding, other films like QGM,FoV, I agree they are not getting sold, but what about now…when screens are empty…now also, wouldn’t they be sold..Has anyone tried in the last one month? That is my question..If they have tried..I have nothing more to say on that aspect…
I read your article as well, its true, including me , we dont care much about the single screens woes now…great insight, Never thought that this feud would have such a side effect too…
A1…yes..I agree..these costs are always there…whether you release now or later, but what is not there now is competition, no one to eat away the audience through star power, brisk marketing and show pieces…This is the time when such films can have greater exposure..if they are truly good…they will sail through..
another point I made is re-release, wherein prints would already be there…Anyways, Who will bear/share the overhead cost? It needs to be worked out…
Ram – All the producers and directors of the films you mentioned are trying to sell their cinema. No buyers. Trust me, no one. This includes Dammed rains and also another one Chaturanga that was premiered yesterday at SF.
Boss, the directors of most of these films know and understand how the educated audience feels. They are trying to make films but distributors and corporate financiers are still Oil Men (teel wala). They only see Weekend, family, multiplex reps and stars or comedy.
Nice article, but far from reality. A thousand ppl will nod at what you say, what is say is correct but sirjee, that’s the way life is.
Good Article Ram. But in India there are so many factors involved in selling your film that it’s difficult. In the film industry or for that matter any industry in India, it’s money power or the power of your contacts that helps you in selling your product. More so, you will buy tickets to see this films, but there are few Cinema lovers who would venture to watch these films. It’s sad but until and unless the Indian audience matures it’s going to be very difficult for small filmmakers to sell their films to multiplexes. There are exceptions where a good film gets the attention inspite of all these issues, but they are very rare. Nevertheless, it’s worth the effort to try to sell your films now. Who knows you may get lucky? I support you fully on this front. One should not fail for lack of trying. Even if there’s 1% chance go gor it.
@ravptor…I agree..Its not far from reality though… :-) It is reality…During this producers strike…in empty multiplexes..I can see masala films, from all regional languages, as no good film has released this month from any other language…all those are playing but there is no place for these…Its like always, the multiplex guys are hell bent on Masala, regional or bollywood..
Even if one of the thousand people, who nod their head, decide to take an action in the right direction and could do something..purpose of my words are fulfilled..else they will go into PFC archives as one more page…either of which is fine with me.. :-)
@Ashwin…thanks..If these films are really watchable and enjoyable, no one would think twice about buying the ticker, only when they get unwatchably silly or preachy or abstract, people tend to avoid it completely…By good films I mean which are both effecient (technically, scriptwise, creatively good) and effective ( entertaining, enjoyable, captivating).
If the film are not both effecient and effective at the same time..it would be a difficult watch for audience who are in this side or that side of the spectrum…So it is necessary for the product to be good (E&E) before we can sell it…what we can see is that most of these films that we discuss focus more on effeciency and less on effectiveness…thus maken them less watchable or accessible by a major chunk of the audience…
Ram- Right now To Harihar Nagar is playing in a few multiplexes in Mumbai & the no.of shows its playing in is mainly due to the lack of content.Again my point is not about the movie being good or bad, its about something being done to take advantage of the situation.Maybe there should be more such movies coming in to fill the gap.Its irritating to see ADZ or Tasveer 8*10 still playing to empty houses- and I seriously hope the situation changes.
Sethu-Yes..but for me it is irritating even to see Harihar Nagar or Jackie or Ayan continuing its run… :-) Different perspectives…But I agree, when considering taking advantage of the situation, it is good for Telugu, Kannada, Tamizh and Malayalam producers who would never have had this much screen time in multiplexes for years together..the indie guys are not around though..These days, I go to the multiplex near my place first thing Sat morning (I hate checking listing in the net) , see the listing at the multiplex, stuff something in my stomach and return back..nothing changed from last week to this…except for maybe an extra malayalam film which is really bad (Viji Tampi’s Nammal Thammil)…
@ Ram- I know perspectives differ, but I strongly believe that an Ayan or To Harihar Nagar or a RNBDJ is very important so that when industry makes money it allows a VKK, a Pulijanmam or a Barah Anna to be made.
And btw wouldnt advise you to watch Nammal Thammil- really silly movie.
@Sethu
I strongly disagree when u say that success of ayan will do good for the Thamizh film world. OTOH we have a decent actor like Surya locked into 2 more masala films for the next 1 to 1.5 years. The apt justice would be like what the mallu audience delivered in the 80s and 90s, Film is good, then the first person to get out of the theatre will be the first person to encourage the folks waiting for the next show to go on and enjoy. If the film was bad, he would be the first guy to shoo the audience away for the next show. Bad films must fail and good films must run. As much as a good film needs a word of mouth, I think the time has come for the audience to unite together and make sure that a bad film – irrespective of how big it is, who stars in it – fails and fails miserably enough that the theatre owners are forced to buy a low budget indie movie compared to a over hyped shitty ‘mainstream movie’. Death be unto the masala movies with no creativity!! Let there be movies with originality and creativity and an independant voice.
you hit the point right on the head….this is the right time for a breakthrough movie….people are missing going to the movies, so can’t understand why there are no buyers for films….
Jai- Jai I’m not talking about good or bad films as such.What I meant is in terms of simple economics related to the way the movie Indistry works.Its common knowledge that whether we like it or not we need to have the Ayan’s of the world to come in & make money, thats the only way we can have a VKK, a Kanchivaram, a Pasanga etc getting made.After all if the smaller & better films dont even get made, where would we get to watch them.
@Sethu 15- I am for big better movies as well, why are we always assuming that only small movies should be good or are good and different…Films like Pithamagan, Paruthiveeran and Kaaka Kaaka are not small by any means..but they are better than Ayan, Dashavatharam…So it should be better movies all around big, small and medium..whatever size they come in.. :-)
@Jaiganesh – Yes, its the trend that matters. Now for years together there will be only potboilers, if they are highly successful. Then we can also says that Vijaya T Rajendarr’s some Mumtaz movie like ‘Veerachami’ succeeds and makes money, it is good for Tamil Industry…which I too agree might not be correct …
@Jibin – Even re-release of old movies which might not have done well due to some biggie playing around is also welcome..people might get to see something that they missed…
Ram, inspite of no competition in the prevailing scenario, exhibitors (multiplex owners) are still not willing to invest 1.5 Crores to print and market a ‘risky’ film….You may think they would sail through, but you don’t have to put your own money into it…
About re-releasing, UTV is already doing it..
A1..
Considering that what you say is true…
It makes sense when we have a bollywood biggie on one hand (A) and a so called ‘indie’ on the other (B), and say B cannot compete against A.
I agree that you are right in saying mulitplex owners are not ready to market a ‘risky’ B film.
Why is the film considered risky, even if there is no competition A? Are B films so risky, are they so irrelevant to, or unwatchable by mass audience, then B film directors have to rethink the way they are making the movies. If such B films dont sell even when there is no competition…either the exhibitors have got it totally wrong or filmmakers have to improve their stuff…
If UTV is already re-relasing..its great..but last one month there has been no change in Bangalore multiplex atleast…
Ram- I’m sure you & Jai will not want to equate an Ayan with Veerachamy
come on all big movies will not & need not be a Pithamagan or a Kakka Kakka.And btw Paruthiveeran is not exactly a big movie- its more of a medium budget movie- the only thing grand about it is the scale & the authenticity.Otherwise they didnt really spend anything much on the cast etc.And mark my words an Ayan or a Billa will anyday make more money than even a Kakka Kakka or a Pithamagan.So we cannot deny that- of course all such so called big movies are not all good & all of them do not turn out to be blockbusters either.
Ram- UTV has re-released Dev D in select single screens across the country and not in the multiplexes.
Sethu- Veerachamy is world classic, and cannot be compared to anything else… :-). Thats the whole point, some movies which make everyone happy producers, me , you and mass..that is the good movie we are looking..the more they come..more good it is..
Sethu 20- ok..Dev D..is it due to this stand-off or pre-planned release on B,C centres
Ram- UTV’s selective re-release of Dev D in single screens is indeed due to this stand-off.
Ram- if you think Veerachamy is a world classic then you need to watch Sam Anderson’s Yarukku Yaaro- it will just about beat everything else that you’ve seen/heard of
Sethu…ha ha.. Sam Anderson LOL..he and his films are exponents of ‘minimalist’ film making and artistry…
by the way it’s Saam Antersan…