UAE | General
Bollywood could face crisis of talent
Bollywood films, which attract millions across the globe, is awaiting its imminent death, a prominent Indian writer told Gulf News on Saturday.
- By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
- Published: 22:50 November 8, 2008
- Bhaumik (left), Dwyer and Pinto at the seminar on Indian films at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
- Image Credit: Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: Bollywood films, which attract millions across the globe, is awaiting its imminent death, a prominent Indian writer told Gulf News on Saturday.
"Any art which is closed against new comers [new talents] will face its imminent death", said Jerry Pinto, a well-known poet and editor.
"Unlike during 1970s and 1980s, Bollywood stars are bringing their children to the industry, which prevents entry of new talents. During the 1970s prominent actors used to tell media that they don't want their children to be film stars". Several prominent families of 'heroes' in India's movie capital had an unwritten rule that their women would never enter the films, said Pinto .
He spoke to Gulf News on the sidelines of a Seminar on Indian Films organised by Indian Embassy and Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) as part of an Indian Film festival, which is in progress in the capital.
The new-found money from overseas releases in the West has prompted actors to groom their children and close the doors of the industry against other new talents, said Pinto.
"Nepotism cannot take their children longer. Legendary actors of Bollywood - Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan - did not have support family support."
At the seminar, Pinto said talk of Bollywood stars reflect lack of self respect. "They often condemn the industry. If you cannot respect your work, you cannot respect yourself".
Another speaker said the Western audience of Bollywood films are not concerned about the quality of the film but the stars.
"Still, they are fed up with the films centred around middle class Punjabi youngsters settled in the West and British Asians, the major audience of Bollywood films abroad, may not accept such stereotypes anymore," said Dr Anil Sinanan, Senior Lecturer in Law/ Solicitor at London Metropolitan University.
Other speakers agreed that Bollywood films are urban centric which do not reflect the rural India unlike they did earlier.
Unlike Bollywood, other Indian regional films like Tamil cinema are set on rural backgrounds, said Prof Rachel Dwyer, Professor of Indian Cultures and Cinema Department of South Asia at University of London.
Dr Kaushik Bhaumik of Osian's-Connoisseurs of Art also echoed similar views.
Films to be screened
The Indian film festival, which began on November 2, will end on Tuesday, November 11.
The following films will be screened the next three days:
Sunday , November 9
7.30pm Rahyaan (UAE documentary)
8.00pm Daatu (Kannada film)
Monday, November 10
7.30pm The Waiting (Malayalam short film)
8.00pm Kayyoppu (Malayalam)
Tuesday, November 11
7.30pm The Plan (UAE documentary)
8.00pm Gul Mohar (Malayalam - new release)
(All films with English subtitles. For free entry pass, contact Indian Embassy on 02-4492700.
Is family name more important than talent in the Hindi film industry? Have filmmakers abandoned rural issues? Has the urbanisation isolated the film industry from its core audience? Fill in the form bellow to send your comments.
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