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Filmy thoughts



What is the purpose of a film? Most probably it is to tell a story visually and entertain the audience, in the bargain. Does it have a social purpose? Of course, some may say that a film has to instruct and throw light on social reality in a bid to change society for the better. Is a film an expression of art? Film makers feel that film making is a creative field and it affords artistic possibilities. So, depending on the purpose behind a film, we can categorize films as commercial, middle cinema or art house production.
Film makers need adequate freedom in order to entertain, highlight the issues and impact the masses. External validation, especially at the box office, is not necessary for these film makers. They create pieces of art, aesthetically appealing for art’s sake. Patronage is very important and that is where the state comes into the picture. India has NFDC to support and fund the talented film makers who are interested in making socially relevant films. One film maker from the past who took advantage of the state patronage is Saeed Akhtar Mirza of the Salim Langade Pe Math Ro fame. His films always had social concerns highlighted, debated but no solutions provided.
Commercial cinema on the other hand has many consequences:
1.       Diluting the quality to cater to larger audiences.
2.       Stereotyping and sameness of story-line.
3.       More importance to star over character.
4.       Song and dance sequences unnecessarily added.
5.       Importance of visual effects over aesthetic value.
Take the craze over Bahubali, the latest version. One cannot put a finger on why people are going ga-ga over the film. Is it the special effects, story-telling ability of the film maker, larger than life drama, mythical characters with super-human abilities or just marketing hype? One thing is sure- it has already spawned a large number of similar projects, each having a budget more than Bahubali 2.

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