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on 2007/10/16 22:45:29
Watching the Oscar mess unfold are filmmakers who in many ways would be the real gatekeepers of global Indian cinema. But because of the Oscar jury's strong Bollywood bias they rarely make it to the Oscar shortlist.
It is a great irony, given that some of the best work, from outside of Mumbai including India's only Oscar award. The only award India received at the Oscars was by Satyajit Ray.
Filmmakers say it is this kind of cinema in India's regional art houses that should also be in the reckoning of awards and festivals.
But considering even local film events don't create space for them it's unlikely that they are considered in the race for our Oscar entries.
"The international awareness of Indian cinema is unfortunately Bollywood. That's the biggest drawback where regular cinema takes a backseat," said Priyadarshan, filmmaker.
Buddhadeb Dasgupta's films like Charachar, Kalpurush, Grihajuddha and Bagh Bahadur have won awards at Cannes and Berlin where our mainstream commercial cinema has often failed to impress.
But Dasgupta has never been in the reckoning for any Oscar entry although he was invited on the jury once in what he saw as a mere tokenism for regional cinema.
''Last year they wanted me to be there. I said no because I was just not interested. I knew for quite some time this selection also not very fair," said Buddhadeb Dasgupta, filmmaker.
Regional films have at best been a token presence in India's Oscar race only seven half-hearted entries in the last 50 years.
* 1987: Nayagan by Mani Ratnam
* 1992: Thevar Magan by Bharathan
* 1995: Kurudhi Punal by P C Sreeram
* 1996: Indian by Shankar
* 1998: Jeans by Shankar
* 1986: Swathi Muthyam by K Vishwanath
* 2004: Shwaas by Sanjay Sawant.
''Ask them those who have selected these films. The names you have just mentioned barring few most of the names I have never heard," said Buddhadeb Dasgupta, filmmaker.
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