Recently released posters of Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha — Democracy Under Fire would remind you of the protests against corruption that took the country by storm sometime back. The film highlights the uprising of middle-class against corruption. Switch over to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and it’s a tale of grit and talent, struggle and strife of national athletes. Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus, which has won awards overseas, focuses on crucial issues like kidney tourism and visual impairment.
Seems like Bollywood, which is primarily considered a source of entertainment, is taking up social issues like never before. And these are not films that can be labelled ‘offbeat’. With big budgets, A-list starcast, pan-India promotions and music launches, these films very much have their entertainment quotient intact and it won’t be surprising if they enter the `100 crore club as well.
Filmmaker Onir, who has given us some of the most thought-provoking films like My Brother… Nikhil and I Am, says that there is a growing audience for middle stream cinema.
“Audiences need variety. They might enjoy out-and-out masala films like Dabangg but they also need films like Satyagraha that make them think. Also, issue-driven films have always been a part of our film industry. From Mirch Masala, Bazaar, Garam Hawa to latest ones like Raajneeti, Khosla Ka Ghosla and Love Sex and Dhokha, there have always been films that focus on problems of common man,” says Onir.
Debutant director Himanshu Malik agrees that parallel cinema has given us many issue-related films but the kind of budget that films like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Mary Kom biopic enjoy was unthinkable earlier.
“Filmmakers are realising that the right mix of entertainment and a thought-provoking story can be an ideal recipe for a hit. I recently watched Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, which deals with land grabbing by the government. Not just budget, romance, music, costumes, interesting locations, dose of comedy and other entertainment quotients are very much intact in the film. Therefore, it manages to strike a chord with the audience,” says Himanshu, whose upcoming film Quod Erat Demonstradum deals with drug dealers and people who live on the fringe of the society.
Not just audience, actors are also enjoying the popularity of new age cinema. Actor Rajeev Khandelwal made a memorable debut with Aamir and wants to do films that make sense to his conscience. “As an actor films like Shaitan allow me to showcase my talent to the fullest. These are the films that audience do not forget as soon as they step out of theatre,” he says.
There have been many films that brought some of the most ignored topics to the forefront. Farmers’ suicide used to be only a news item until Anusha Rizvi brought an ironic tale of a farmer who is forced to commit suicide in lure of prize money, voyeuristic media, unctuous bureaucrats, scheming local-level political goons and self-serving rulers to celluloid. She says that as a filmmaker she cannot help but be affected by the society and whatever is wrong with it.
“It’s good that more and more filmmakers from outside are joining Bollywood and telling their own stories in their own ways. Films like Vicky Donor and English Vinglish are heartfelt tales and therefore have managed to attract audience as well,” says Anusha. However, scriptwriter Sanjay Chauhan, who is famous for films like I Am Kalaam, Paan Singh Tomar, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and many more, insists that films on athletes and the system cannot change government policies. “They are thought-provoking and give audience something to ponder upon. Cinema as a form of art is a very powerful medium to create awareness,” wraps up Sanjay.