Cannes Part I: India Filmmakers Making Their Mark, But Not The Ones You Think

Indian cinema, which was once seen as nothing more than formulaic song and dance films, took center stage at the 66th Cannes Film Festival. In the limelight was Amitabh Bachan, who held a small but prominent role in the Great Gatsby; known in Bollywood as “Big B”, Bachan is the most recognizable Indian actor alive. Actress Vidya Balan also walked the red carpet, as one of nine members of the jury led by U.S. filmmaker Steven Spielberg.  

However, despite India’s prominence at Cannes, it is highly unlikely that the rest of the world will ever see the four Indian films that were screened: two thrillers, Monsoon Shootout and Ugly, a homage to the centenary celebration, Bombay Talkies, and a love story titled Dabba (Lunchbox).  These are independent films appealing mostly to industry insiders and film buffs, but receiving no particular attention outside India or the festival circuit.  In fact, despite it being the 100th anniversary for Indian cinema, none of the Indian films screened were entered in either of the two main competitions at Cannes—a strange but revealing fact.  Indeed, the last Indian film selected to compete for the Palme D'Or prize was in 1994. 

While the independent producers making Indian language films received the awards and critical accolades in Cannes, the real trail blazers exposing Indian film making talents to the general public may be those who did not walk the red carpet, and were not invited to screen any films. 

Indian born film executive Ashok Amritraj of Hyde Park Entertainment has been playing on the world stage for decades with mainline Hollywood films, and Uday Chopra, the younger son of the legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra, co-produced and co-financed Grace of Monaco this year through his emerging Beverly Hills based company, YRF Entertainment.  The film was purchased by the Weinstein Company for a December release and stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly.  It is already generating buzz as a possible Oscar contender for Best Picture, along with a nomination for Kidman as Best Actress. Not attending the Festival was renowned filmmaker Vinod Chopra, the director of “Three Idiots” reputed to be the most successful Indian film in history.  Chopra is in Los Angeles, busy in post-production on his first English language film “Broken Horses”; he is arguably the only Indian director to make this transition from Bollywood to Hollywood.  Both Vinod Chopra and Uday Chopra (no relation) are taking a financial and career risk, but if they succeed their impact will be substantial. 

Beyond Cannes, the real story may not be Bollywood or the independent films that were screened, but the impact Indians themselves are starting to have on mainstream global entertainment. 

Notes from India Part 3: Ficci Frames

Another highlight of my trip to India was my visit to the Ficci Frames Festival, held in Mumbai. As a Beverly Hills based entertainment law attorney, I figured it was only appropriate that I attend Asia’s largest convention on the business of entertainment.  I’m glad I did, for it was a great opportunity to see the Indian entertainment industry from the inside. Ficci Frames is a mix of award shows, creative workshops, networking lunches and dinners, business meetings, and educational forums and panel discussions.

It was clear that the Indian government was very invested in the event, as they provided many resources to ensure its success. I think this is great – however, I also think that the Indian government underestimates the potential for growth in the entertainment sector.

Let me explain.

There is huge room for growth in Indian entertainment, particularly due to the growth we’re seeing in the rest of the sectors of India’s economy. The entertainment sector could grow with foreign direct investment, international trade, and domestic employment. Furthermore, the government could also utilize taxes and subsidies to help foster and promote entertainment industry within country. By decreasing taxes on certain entertainment imports or passing new laws, it would be easier to start projects. In the US, projects may be partially subsidized by state taxes, and this is a major financing vehicle for films. The Indian industry is well aware of the benefits of making movies in America; Indian producers come to Hollywood because films are easier to put together here.

Government investment in the Indian entertainment sector has become more important as of late, as we see a shift from large budget pictures to medium sized independent films – which are just as profitable. However, it appears that India hasn’t caught up with Hollywood trend yet. Bollywood has all the right tools for immense success: the private infrastructure and funding, and a growth in independent film.  It’s time for the government to seize the opportunity, and catch up with this trend. 
-Marcus Lee

Notes From India Part 2: My Tour of YRF (Yash Raj Film Studios)

One of my most memorable experiences in India was my visit to the Yash Raj Film Studios.  YRF is the only privately owned Entertainment Company in India, and has been a leading figure in Bollywood for the past five decades. First founded by Yash Chopra as a film-making company, it evolved into one of the largest, most prominent names in the Indian film industry, and has created many of the classics adored by Bollywood fans around the world – including myself.

So as a Korean-American Bollywood fan visiting India for the first time, it was only appropriate that I got a private tour of YRF Studios, right? Not necessarily. I was one of the lucky ones – unlike major studios in the U.S., YRF very rarely conducts tours – let alone private tours. The fact that I was given an opportunity to get a secret view of the inner workings of YRF made me feel like Charlie visiting the Chocolate Factory. I had the golden ticket!

When I arrived at the YRF lot, I was struck by the many similarities it shared with Hollywood studios. In terms of size, technology, security, and facilities, they were identical. If anything, YRF was cleaner than many of the Hollywood studios I had seen, and more exclusive. During the tour, I was able to see the many components that worked together to create the Bollywood glam we see in the movies: rehearsal rooms, screening rooms, dressing rooms for some of Bollywood’s most famous stars, and of course, dance floors for those dance and musical numbers that Bollywood is known for.  It was truly fascinating to see the core components of Bollywood, especially YRF which sets the standard for epic Bollywood films. They say all that glitters isn’t gold, but this place looked pretty golden to me.

-Marcus Lee

Notes from India Part 1: India: Day One

India. Wow. Here is my attempt at creating some structure for the many thoughts and culture shocks I experienced when I made that journey a few months ago. On my first day, I arrived at my hotel on a motorized rickshaw, called a Tut-tut, which can best be described as a lawn mower death trap masquerading as an open-air 3-wheeled taxi. No seat belts no safety bars to speak of.  I managed to release one hand from the canvas roofing which I was grasping onto in abject terror so that I could take a quick video of myself smiling on what might have been the last ride of my life.  50% fun, 50% sheer terror, and upon arriving at the hotel the adrenaline was still wearing off. 

In just the first day, I had been ripped off by every transport operator in India - but it was hard to be upset when they were ripping me off for an extra $1 on a $2 trip. Given the life-threatening conditions and extraordinary sightseeing that came with each trip however, I think it’s safe to say each ride was priceless. Driving practices in India could have a blog all to itself; although there are no rules or regulations placed upon the driving itself, the system of honking is so well developed that it could be classified as a local language. From what I observed, there are three distinct sets of honks: first, the “beep beep” honk. The “beep beep” is used by every driver on the road, simply as a means of marking their territory. Similar to a friendly heads up, all those on the road use the “beep beep” about once every 20 seconds just to announce their presence, which results in a lovely soundtrack of blaring horns. Just to keep you aware, of course. Second, there is the slightly drawn out honk, used as a warning signal. This honk is the “I’m annoyed and this is me telling you that you’re annoying” honk. If you hear it, you either change what you’re doing, or get ready for horn #3: the American honk. For many of us, this is also know as the “WTF honk”. In all fairness, honk #2 is ample warning for those on the road, so those that hear the WTF honk probably deserve it.

In addition to the driving, the views were remarkable.  I quickly realized that although only one India is recognized on a world map, the reality is that there are two distinct Indias in existence. The first is “First World India”: paved roads lined with charming boutiques and elegant restaurants, and modern day architecture that aims for the sky. The second is “Slumdog Millionare India”, which is interspersed throughout the first world. These pockets of poverty provide a contrast so jarring you can’t help but look twice; this is the India that draws stares. As we drove down the freeway to my hotel, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of the slopes along the side of the road. No, these weren’t mountains or hills – these were slopes of trash, rooted in valleys of slums.  I remember seeing two little boys dressed in rags standing at the top of one of these mountains of trash, tossing rocks onto the freeway. Was I the spectator, or were they? All I knew was, I definitely was not in the 90210 anymore.

-Marcus Lee