Slowly, but surely bollywood is showing definite signs of maturity. The generation next film-makers are daring to dream…..daring to live their dreams on celluloid. What was viewed as a certain suicidal step only a couple of years back, is now being lauded as intellectual movie making. Earlier what one would have dismissed as parallel or off-bit cinema (saying that it’s meant only for the classes) is now the flavor of the season. Not that all such movies have set the cash register ringing at the box-office, but the niche segment of public watching these kind of movies have swelled considerably. And the success of movies like Dor, Bheja Fry, Khosla ka Ghosla and Cheenikum has certainly opened up this particular segment tremendously. The distance between both kinds of cinema is begining to narrow down. The introduction of multiplexes has also helped the cause.
Not so long back, people dreaded to spoil their week ends watching a Govind Nihalani, Prakash Jha or an Aparna Sen movie. They would rather get their money’s worth watching a David Dhawan brand movie (even if you are urged to leave your mind behind at home in order to enjoy such movies). Now the scenario has changed for the better. The public doesn’t mind watching a Namesake on a Sunday evening anymore. In fact they are looking forward to such type of movies.
It all started with a third type of cinema though, which was a blend between the art and commercial cinema. Yes, I am referring to the cross-over cinema, as it is popularly called. Movies like Jhankar Beats sans the routine bollywood megastars surprised every body by doing well only on the strength of their strong story line, sensible screen play and earnest performances of the cast. These movies tried to weave in humor as an entertaining factor while not compromising the underlying message of the script. They consciously underplayed the preaching element of parallel cinema without moving away from the central idea. After the success of a few, others followed suit.
Directors like Nagesh Kukonoor, Saket Choudhary, Sagar Ballary and Dibakar Banerjee have dared to venture into risky territory and tasted success. This will only encourage more such movies in days to come. And if such trend is anything to go by, we are in for an enriching movie feast.
Not so long back, people dreaded to spoil their week ends watching a Govind Nihalani, Prakash Jha or an Aparna Sen movie. They would rather get their money’s worth watching a David Dhawan brand movie (even if you are urged to leave your mind behind at home in order to enjoy such movies). Now the scenario has changed for the better. The public doesn’t mind watching a Namesake on a Sunday evening anymore. In fact they are looking forward to such type of movies.
It all started with a third type of cinema though, which was a blend between the art and commercial cinema. Yes, I am referring to the cross-over cinema, as it is popularly called. Movies like Jhankar Beats sans the routine bollywood megastars surprised every body by doing well only on the strength of their strong story line, sensible screen play and earnest performances of the cast. These movies tried to weave in humor as an entertaining factor while not compromising the underlying message of the script. They consciously underplayed the preaching element of parallel cinema without moving away from the central idea. After the success of a few, others followed suit.
Directors like Nagesh Kukonoor, Saket Choudhary, Sagar Ballary and Dibakar Banerjee have dared to venture into risky territory and tasted success. This will only encourage more such movies in days to come. And if such trend is anything to go by, we are in for an enriching movie feast.
And I do believe, the makers of real parallel cinema have a lesson or two to learn from this young brigade of directors.
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