Save Indie Cinema in India!

I’m constantly bitching on this Blog about the horrible-ness of Mainstream Indian films. Sometimes annoyingly, I’ve gone on about the how the films with the most recognition and acclaim in India, happen to be commercial films with huge budgets and massive PR.

Even the appreciation shown to films through Awards Ceremonies in the Indian Industry, is skewed and biased, as the most commercially successful films are acknowledged. To the point where “critics’ choice” is a whole another category that had to be introduced in the Indian Film Awards circuit, for the films being praised for actual content and storytelling, and not monetary success.

Growing up on Indian Films, while also being a filmmaker (I’m being generous) brought up and educated in North America, I’m a fan of both Hollywood & Bollywood. Therefore the aforementioned situation in India is especially upsetting for me, when seeing the contrast in Hollywood.

Hollywood praises and recognizes amazing contributions to film through their mainstream media and their own specific Awards ceremonies. Most entries in any given year at the Oscars, are usually unknown and never before heard of films by makers and cast in the same boat. This mainstream recognition allows those films to get further exposure that they might not have had before.

Given the state of things in the Indian Film Industry, there is a dire and urgent need for Indie Films or Art-house Cinema in India to be promoted and made aware of to the rest of the world. One of my pet peeves is audiences in North America complaining about the fluff and glossy films from Bollywood not being up to par with Hollywood. However, they don’t realize the genius that exists in the Indian Industry, because they simply don’t get the same exposure as the commercial stuff.

Due to all this, there is currently a cause that has been taken up by some legendary Filmmakers of India, pioneers of the Independent Film scene and amazing storytellers in general, who have taken it upon themselves to preserve, promote and save the Indie Cinema of India.

The online Petition can be found below and it takes literally 5 seconds to fill out.

http://www.change.org/petitions/save-indie-cinema

I hope that every follower and supporter of this blog, and movies in general, regardless of borders, languages and genres… will support this cause. The best and brightest works of art have always come from the smallest and most obscure corners. Independent Cinema in India has come out of its shell, however it still deserves a much-needed push. Let’s give it that push.

Original Petition by Onir Dhar (Director of MY BROTHER NIKHIL, BAS EK PAL, I AM): http://www.change.org/petitions/save-indie-cinema