Let's talk... in English
SANGEETHA DEVI. K
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No longer flashes in the pan like a Kabir Bedi or a Persis Khambatta, Indian actors are packaging pizzazz and revelling in the global success.
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TIP OF THE ICEBERG? Amitabh Bachchan looking beyond Hindi films.
The global lucre was always alluring. Now it is a two-way embrace as Hollywood courts Indian actors and Indian movies are becoming big success stories at the B-O. Consider international productions by the likes of Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta and Gurinder Chaddha, or Indian productions likes Everybody Says I'm Fine, Let's Talk, Morning Raga and Mr and Mrs Iyer, there have been some fine films.
Such films aren't just the staple of `thinking actors' (Rahul Bose, Konkana Sen, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and their ilk) any more. Reigning leaders of the box office are following suit. So we have Amitabh Bachchan being signed up for Deepa Mehta's Exclusion, Mira Nair's Shantaram and Rituparno Ghosh's King Lear. Aishwarya Rai has Bride and Prejudice, Provoked and The Last Legion to her credit and Tabu features in The Namesake, a certified hit in the US. If there's an intense actor like Irrfan Khan rubbing shoulders with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in A Mighty Heart, there's also Mallika Sherawat acting in Bill Bannerman's Unveiled. And John Abraham is reportedly in the reckoning for international ventures after Water.
Is all this a passing phase? "Definitely not. This is an indication that our films are being taken seriously and our actors are breaking free from regular movies," says trade analyst Komal Nahta.
Actress Koel Purie, who has done a few US productions apart from Indian-English films like White Noise and Everybody Says I'm Fine, points out, "Indian cinema is opening up and actors comfortable speaking English are grabbing the opportunity. Saif Ali Khan can do Hum Tum, Kal Ho Na Ho, and then Omkara and Being Cyrus. The line between commercial and art house cinema is blurring."
Aishwarya Rai
If there are ample reasons to smile, there's also the threat of biggies dominating the scene. Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri have quietly been there and done that in international projects and films made by film-makers like Nagesh Kukunoor and Aparna Sen have received good reviews.
But then, they had to contend with limited markets. Today, with co-productions possible, the canvas is larger. Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta and Jagmohan Mundra have aggressively promoted their films abroad. "Everything boils down to whether you can draw in crowds in the first week. For this, you need more visibility.
Have you seen how films starring the Bachchans and the Khans are being promoted? Where's the chance for smaller actors like us?" asks Koel Purie.
Mainstream Hindi films are also packaged for the NRI markets. Karan Johar promoted Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK) in London, Rakesh Roshan took Krrish to Singapore and Farhan Akhtar and Shah Rukh Khan took Don to Malaysia. "It's a sham to say that this is intended at capturing global markets. Foreigners aren't that keen on Hindi films. It's the huge NRI population that film-makers are interested in.
Mallika Sherawat
For example, KANK earned around Rs. 20 crore in Indian cinema halls while it made more than Rs. 30 crore abroad," adds Komal Nahta.
To go truly global, Indian films need to be backed by stronger scripts, believes writer Nasreen Munni Kabir. "Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho Munna Bhai don't happen everyday," she says.
As for reaching out to NRIs, she says, "Oh, British Indians always had access to videos of Indian films. The difference is, now Indian stars and films are just about everywhere in the US and Britain."
Actor Rahul Bose sums up saying, "Films like Provoked and The Namesake are international productions and leverage on that advantage. For Indian productions to tap international markets, it will still take a few years."
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In the making
Deepa Mehta's Exclusion, starring Amitabh Bachchan
Mira Nair's Shantaram with Amitabh Bachchan and Johnny Depp
Bill Bannerman's Unveiled with Mallika Sherawat
Aparna Sen's The Japanese Wife with Rahul Bose and a Japanese actress
Rituparno Ghosh's Last Lear with Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta
Aishwarya Rai in The Last Legion with Colin Firth
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