Let's talk in English
SANGEETHA DEVI K
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Indian actors are packaging pizzazz and revelling in their global success.
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GLOBAL APPEAL: A scene from `Namesake.'
The global lucre was always alluring. Now it is a two-way process as Hollywood courts Indian actors and Indian movies are becoming big success stories.
Consider international productions by the likes of Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta and Gurinder Chaddha, or Indian productions such as `Everybody Says I'm Fine,' `Let's Talk,' `Morning Raga' and `Mr and Mrs Iyer.' 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 United States (U.S.).
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.
Actor Koel Purie, who has done a few U.S. productions apart from Indian-English films like `White Noise' and `Everybody Says I'm Fine,' points out, "Indian cinema is opening up and actors who are 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."
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; 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.
Packaging matters
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. 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 U.S. 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 `Unveiled' with Mallika Sherawat Aparna Sen's `The Japanese Wife' with Rahul Bose and a Japanese actror.
Rituparno Ghosh's `Last Lear' with Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta Aishwarya Rai in `The Last Legion' with Colin Firth
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