Dubai: The Indian film industry needs to regain lost ground in the Arab world, said Amit Khanna, the chairman of Reliance Big Industry, on the fifth day of the Dubai International Film Festival on Thursday.
"In the Seventies, there weren't so many expatriates and it was the locals [Emiratis] who patronised our films and stars," he said. "We have not been able to retain the kind of loyalty we have from the Arab world and we want them back."
Khanna, an established filmmaker and producer, was speaking at a panel on the sidelines of the festival. Sharing the stage with celebrated producer-director Karan Johar, Khanna added that things were picking up, thanks to the growth of multiplexes in the region.
"There's been a quantum jump in the returns from this part of the world and we want to keep that going," he said.
Johar, director of record-breaking films such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham and the recent hit My Name is Khan is known for breaking into top film charts beyond India, particularly in the UK and US.
He said he was unapologetic about the way films in Bollywood were made.
"We make people cry and go laughing to the bank," he said, drawing a huge round of laughter from the audience, comprised mainly of filmmakers and media students.
"We're flamboyant, we are in-your-face. I love it. Subtlety is not part of my agenda."
Johar also added that the controversial film, My Name is Khan, about a Muslim immigrant's struggle to integrate in post 9/11 America, was the most special film of his career.
"We've just released in China this month and from its premiere in February to now, the response has been amazing and very heartening." But, he added, he would like to direct "something fun" next.
"I need to do something flippant, frivolous and happy," he said. Johar's debut film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998, was one of the most successful Bollywood films of all time.
"I wish countries in the Arab world would open up like Dubai," he said.
Johar is producing Agneepath next, a remake of a 1990 film of the same name, which was produced by his father, Yash Johar, considered a luminary in the industry. The original, starring legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, was however, not commercially successful.
"This is purely for him and his memory. I hope I can make a success of it," he said.
Khanna, who quoted My Name is Khan as an example of the Arab world's love for the Indian film format, said the drama is until today the most successful film ever in Syria.
"Our song and dance and deep-rooted stories have an unique style which have become its identity. The proof is we are not getting overwhelmed by Hollywood in any of our traditional markets," he said.
"Middle East and Africa [are] going to be the regions of the future. So we have to go back."
Employing new technologies such as digital transmission as an alternative to physical distribution, he said, would come a long way to forge links between Arab and Indian film industries. "In this new world, geo-political boundaries are blurring," added Khanna.
