Thursday, April 09, 2009

Aamir SRK unity, good for small Indian films?

Recently, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan came on a joint platform to push for a 50-50 revenue sharing scheme to end the tussle between film producers and film exhibitors in India.

"It should be a partnership of equality. Fifty percent sharing is fair. Distributors and exhibitors have to find a way to make it a viable business within their fifty percent. Within my fifty percent I have to make it profitable," said Aamir at a press conference, according to HT.

"This is one industry and we all can survive only when each sector will earn a healthy share. We are here to find a solution to this," added Aamir.

Apart from Aamir, industry veterans like Ronnie Screwvala, Mukesh Bhatt and Karan Johar were present, among others.

See a video report here

Is it a good move for indie and small budget filmmakers in Bombay? Not necessarily, says filmmaker Hansal Mehta:

When Firaaq, Barah Aanaa, Straight and Aloo Chaat flunked their exams at the box-office, the gentlemen from the exhibition circuit, the trade-gurus, the distributors and a lot of producers suddenly spoke more openly. They said, “Look at all the trash you feed us. See how these films have failed. How can you expect better terms when you give us such content?”. Everybody rushing to pull down the often alienated, very marginalized and perennially nascent independent cinema of this country. Almost as if they were waiting for their imminent failure. They forgot about Chandni Chowk to China. They pretended that Drona did not exist. They forgot to read the writing on the wall when it came to 8×10 or Tasveer or whatever that was. They forgot about the failure of Victory. They grudgingly acknowledged DevD – only when nudged. They dismissed the success of A Wednesday as a freak case. The selective amnesia of the myopic whole was there for everyone to see.

I am sorry but independent cinema in this country is doomed. We can continue to live in hope but until we are ruled by these torch bearers of ‘content’, until we are always trampled by these messiahs of the mainstream, independent will remain an expletive. Nothing more. Nothing less.

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