After Bollywood won big at the 63rd National Awards, filmmakers, actors and critics talk about whether this win has pulled away focus from regional and perhaps more deserving films. By Shrabasti Mallik and Ila Sankrityayan
Good cinema is what we can believe, and bad cinema is what we can’t believe,” said Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami. And this rule firmly applies when it comes to selecting movies for national and international awards. The recently concluded 63rd National Film Awards brought cheers for some like Amitabh Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut and Sanjay leela Bhansali. On the other hand, regional film makers expressed their discontentment at the prevalence of commercial movies over regional films. They felt sidelined and disheartened looking at the winners list.
Acclaimed Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Barua, who has made a number of national and international award-winning films seems completely disappointed as he says, “I am very much of the opinion that regional films are sidelined. Moreover, we always expect the films winning the National Awards to represent cinema as an art form more than intended commercial masala.” He adds, “Over the years there are many films that have become victims of wrong judgement. I’d not like to take names. What we need to understand is that a wrong judgement takes place when wrong people are put to represent the jury. Efforts need to be made to make the jury more artistically profound in understanding the medium of cinema.”
Kunnath Gopinathan, an acclaimed filmmaker and film critic from Kerala, shares that it’s unfortunate to see that non commercial cinema is taking a backseat. “Regional cinema has got the same status and prestige as that of Bollywood. My outlook is different as I don’t question that why or why not this film is bestowed with award. I leave it to the discretionary judgement of the committee. But definitely many of the deserved films are not given their due and my major complaint is that undeserved ones are awarded. Films with commercial intentions like Baahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijan thoroughly eclipsed the much refined cinematic creations from various other languages in India. The mainstream does not need a critical prop but free, imaginative cinema needs encouragement. It is a disservice done to the cause of good cinema,” he says.
He further elaborates, “I will not accuse the committee members because if this is their level of aesthetic appreciation, one can’t blame them. They are entitled to their idea of good cinema. So it is not the lack of perspective but the presence of a wrong perspective of good cinema and its dominance on the procedure that is the real villain. The particular agency of the government, which is responsible for the constitution of these committees, must be guided by clear and aesthetically valid ideas about good cinema and should be manned by persons with integrity. Apply full vigil and care in appointing award committees. With this single move, a lot can be achieved towards blocking similar disasters revisiting in the coming years.”
Agrees Aruna Vasudev, film critic and author, saying that it is always heartening to see talent across India but when it comes to selecting movies, regional cinema is overshadowed by commercial cinema. Though she doesn’t blame the jury members, she criticises media for paying less attention towards non-commercial cinema. She opines, “Why blame jury members, they choose as per their understanding and liking of audience. I think media should pay a heed towards regional cinema. This is the time of promotion and advertising, so promote these films in a way that jury members recognises them. Even producers of regional films should pay more attention toward promotion and marketing. I am sure these steps will help regional cinema in seeking priority.”
But there are some in the industry who support the awards and believe that it is the only platform that caters to regional cinema. Director and winner of the best debutant director this year Neeraj Ghaywan says that for the longest time, since its inception, the National Awards is the only place where regional films get a chance to be recognised. “And that is a credit we need to give but yes, a little more of regional films should have gotten a place in the mainstream category and not only be there in the specific regions awards. I would have really liked if Thithi had won the best film award this time, or if Raam Reddy had won it for the best debutant as a director instead of me. I mean, he got all the equipment and made the film in the village with real village people and with such clarity,” he points out and adds, “Bollywood, frankly does not need such a push as given by National Awards but regional films does.”
Filmmaker Muzzafar Ali fears cinema today is more of glitz and glamour and totally star-oriented. “A classic film is one that you watch again and again and find a new shade every time. But to observe all this, you need to have a different outlook and understanding. Many regional filmmakers come up with brilliant and inspiring subjects foretelling their ideology and thinking in local dialect. But they get less attention from national media and audience as compared to mainstream cinema,” he adds.
However, producer Savita Raj Hiremath feels that it is not appropriate to divide the film industry and show disrespect towards national or any similar respectable awards and recognitions. She says, “I think we should feel happy about those who got National Awards. Those who have not achieved acclamation must pay attention towards their quality of work rather than blaming jury or media or anyone. People who have given these awards are mature and sensible, so we can’t question their credibility.”
Veteran filmmaker and former jury of the awards, Shyam Benegal, agrees. He explains to us how the selection process works and why the decisions vary every year. “It varies because it depends entirely on the jury members. The jury will give a certain kind of interpretation to the guidelines and on the basis of that they will choose films, directors and artistes for various categories. So every year you will find that it is slightly different from the previous year, and this is bound to happen because it depends upon the accessibilities of the jury and the definition that they give to what, according to them is, a good film. I do not feel that one needs to comment on that because any award is as good as the jury,” the director says.
Actor Parvin Dabas says that whenever something happens, some people are always there to stand against it or object it in one or other way. “You cannot make everyone happy and similarly each one of us cannot always fall in the category of awardees. If you are not selected this year you might get a chance next time. I don’t find any point in blaming the decision makers or calling them biased. If these movies are being liked by audience of all age groups, don’t you feel they deserve recognitionIJ I have watched Queen and found Kangana Ranaut’s performance remarkable and overwhelming. So definitely if you are giving your best you deserve to be appreciated and we must all be happy about them,” Dabas points out.
Piyush Puty, winner of this year’s award for best non feature film Amdavad ma Famous gives us a completely new view. He tells us that how big or better a movie is, depends on the investment that goes into its making. “It is just not about the awards. Investments play a big role in determining how a movie is made and how widely distributed it is. Big films like Baahubali and others who won big were made on a large budget and were visually very appealing because it was grand. Regional films, on the other hand, are made on a much smaller budget but they also have very strong content. I was surprised when Baahubali won the Best Film award because there were many regional films better films that were made on a lesser budget,” he says, stressing on the fact that regional cinema should not be left behind just because they are not released on a national level and have big financial back up.
Veteran Bengali director Goutam Ghose, is happy with the award bestowed to Sankhachil, an India-Bangladesh joint production and hopes that the recognition will help strengthen the international market for cinema from the region. But he also feels the need to incorporate regional films in the mainstream category because it will provide a boost to do better work.
“Joint productions are important culturally. I hope it encourages more joint ventures not just between West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh but also between Bengalis living in different parts of the world. We are trying to create an international market for Bengali cinema,” Ghose tells IANS.
The need of the hour is not debating over how necessary it is to bring regional films to the mainstream but to come up with definite guidelines which will not only give a wider berth to regional films helmed out on smaller budgets by talented directors but also give them their due as a work of art.