Plot twist: India's indie film circuit has been doing cool things long before this year's Oscar outing.
Young filmmakers have been taking more chances than before, reaching across borders to collaborate, taking advantage of workshops abroad to hone their craft, falling gleefully down rabbit holes to tell unusual stories.
This is fantastic news for viewers. Funding from an international organisation means that a film that would have never been made, now has a fighting chance. An international premiere can boost viewership. So, in cinemas, multiplexes and on streaming networks, a new side of India is being presented to the world, perhaps for the first time.
Is the industry truly blossoming or are the films merely repackaging old stereotypes in a new format? Most filmmakers acknowledge that, for global audiences, it makes sense to weave in explanatory narration, establishing shots, and familiar detail.
Ultimately, though, it's the story itself that determine its success. A film can be set in India, funded from the UK, produced by a crew from India, Norway and France and premiere in Hong Kong.
None of it will matter if it doesn't connect with those watching.
The new opportunities are no guarantee of success, say filmmakers. What it means is a lot more doors to knock on. See how it's all shaping up.
Faraway success Prasun Chatterjee
ALONG WITH BEING LOCAL, THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF UNIVERSAL CONNECTION WITH THE FILM
Prasun Chatterjee's debut feature film Dostojee (Bengali, 2021) tells the tale of two young boys whose friendship takes on a changed dynamic in the wake of the destruction of the Babri Masjid. It won Best Film at the UK Asian Film Festival and Best Film at the Sharjah International Film Festival. It's had releases in the US, UAE and Australia.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 03, 2023 من Brunch.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 03, 2023 من Brunch.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Give the bad guys a break
Some were third wheeling. Some were just doing their job. Hit replay.
Waving the matic wand
Mercedes knows how to make a customer happy, both in the driver's seat and at the back. The new E 450 is all class, all power, all business-for an all-consuming price
Give milk a kiss and a curdle
The world is now realising what India has long known: Milk is healthy, boiling kills germs, cheese is safe. Forget fanatics and fads. Just listen to your body and palate
Turn on the switch
Make space on your beauty counter! Here's our expert-approved list of the best makeup, skincare and haircare dupes in the business
No roses, just romance
Had enough of Valentine's Day cliches? How about honouring real love, every day, with a million little gestures that matter?
Keeping the romance alive
No heart feelings. David Nicholls says that all love stories are actually about loneliness. One Day gave us hope. His new novel, You Are Here, gives us more
Wait. Have we met before?
When OG holiday hotspots get too crowded, switch to a destination dupe. These places offer a similar vibe, and are often cheaper too
Happily never after
Viewers were basically robbed when these fan-fav characters didn't end up together. These 10 almost pairings hurt the most
No love in this triangle
Work, socialise, sleep. It's getting impossible to even do the three basics. Why is the bare minimum so out of reach these days?
Catching up with Kochi
The city is Christian and Hindu, laidback and booming, traditional and global. That mix reflects both in its old flavours and new food businesses too
