Mani Ratnam has managed to walk a fine line between realistic, contemporary themes and commercial formulaic movies. His movies have the ability to transcend the language barrier and most of them are usually dubbed from Tamil into other languages owing to their national appeal. Ratnam's movies are known for their brilliance in technical aspects like art direction, cinematography and background score.
Incidentally, the Tamil film industry is the second biggest film Industry in India. Anniyan, a recent Tamil film became the first Indian film to be dubbed into French.
Bollywood Buzz
Once dismissed by the West as kitsch melodramas, the Bollywood genre of extravagant song and dance sequences has firmly entrenched itself in cinemas around the world. Last year, 74 films from India were screened in the UK, grossing £12.4m, according to the British Film Council. The growth in demand remains largely driven by the diaspora communities from the subcontinent. But Bollywood films are also enjoying increasing success with western audiences too.
Here’s a look at some of the Bollywood Badshahs
Shyam Benegal started out as an Ad man, but went on to create what is known as "middle cinema". Benegal shot to fame with Ankur 1973, which introduced Shabana Azmi. The success that New India Cinema enjoyed in the 1970s and early 1980s could largely be attributed to Shyam Benegal's quartet Ankur (1973), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) and Bhumika (1977), which were artistically superior yet commercially viable films. Benegal gave Bollywood actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Smita Patil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Amrish Puri. His Junoon, Sardari Begum and Suraj ka saatva ghoda are classics.
Guru Dutt was a film director, producer, and actor. His lyrical and artistic films, including Pyaasa and Saheb, biwi aur Gulaam are vintage fare.
In 1948, 24-year-old Raj Kapoor established his own studio R. K. Films. Known as the Charlie Chaplin of Indian cinema, Raj Kapoor's career as director spanned from 1948 through 1988. Be it Barsaat, Awaara, Shri 420 and Sangam ---the list is endless and each one of them is high on the entertainment quotient.
Shekhar Kapur’s works include Elizabeth, a semi-historical account of the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The movie found great acceptance with audiences around the world. It was nominated for 8 Oscars. Kapur was executive producer of the Hollywood film The Guru and of the Bollywood-themed Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Bombay Dreams. It’s been running in the West End, London since 2002, and on Broadway in New York City since 2004.
Ram Gopal Verma is popular for his slick films. He owns a production house which churns out a large number of small budget indies every year, and with great success. His most successful films include Shiva, Rangeela, Satya, Company and Sarkar.
Karan Johar made his directorial debut in 1998 with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. The film made the box office cash registers ring big time. Johar’s movies have an unique distinguishing feature—all of the movie titles boast of catchy abbreviations! Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, commonly abbreviated KKHH, starred Shahrukh Khan—Johar’s movie mascot. His second directorial effort, the multi-starrer family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, was released in 2001. K3G, as the film is commonly abbreviated, went on to win five Filmfare Awards. In 2003, he produced and wrote the script for Kal Ho Naa Ho---another moneyspinner. Johar’s fourth film is an epic on marital infidelity. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna or KANK as the film is commonly abbreviated, is still doing brisk business. |
