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Bollywood film hopes for more than ghost of a chance at Oscars

Early last week, 5,798 ballots were sent out to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Shahrukh Khan is hoping that at least half the voters will tick the box next to his film Paheli (Puzzle), a quaint and visually sumptuous Hindi movie he produced and starred in last year. Winning the best foreign film award is a monumental achievement - but gaining a nomination is a feat in itself.

Khan isn't betting the bank on winning through. 'I think it's a long shot,' he says. 'But [a nomination] is a good chance to get Indian cinema some recognition.'

Khan was on location in London when Vinod Pande, acting chair of the Film Federation of India, announced in Mumbai that Paheli had been unanimously voted to represent India in the foreign film category at the Oscars.

Khan says he was surprised by the news because his film received mixed reviews when it was released early last year.

'I think it's time for our film industry to get recognised on its own merit,' he says. 'Indian films and filmmakers don't have to be on the periphery of world cinema. We're as good as it gets. I want everyone to know that - and that will happen if we all believe that we're not just an exotic nation of snake charmers but a media-literate and educated upcoming economy.'

However, if the past is an indication, the figures are against him. Since the first Indian film, Alam Ara, hit the silver screen in 1931, only three Indian movies have made it to the list of nominees at the Academy: Mother India (1957), Salaam Bombay (1988) and Lagaan (2001).

On average, India produces about 800 films a year - that's more than 59,000 movies over the past century, from the largest film industry in the world, which has an estimated annual turnover of nearly US$1.3 billion per year, and a global reach of 3.6 billion (compared with Hollywood's 2.6 billion).

To improve the chances of Paheli being nominated, Khan is following the lead of movie mavericks such as Miramax in Hollywood, who go to great lengths to grab the attention of voters.

The producers and distributors of Paheli approached public relations firm Rogers and Cowen to help with the film's promotion. Khan attended two screenings in Los Angeles, lobbying voters, and stills of the lead actors Rani Mukherjee and Khan were run as full-page advertisements in Screen International and Variety. There's a definite buzz among the circles that watch movies with subtitles.

But will it work? The selection of the film raised eyebrows in India, where it did average business at the box office and, so far, has won few local awards. Movies that garner applause from foreign countries are usually serious dramas with political undercurrents or historical significance. Paheli, a musical that revolves around a woman in love with a ghost disguised as her husband, doesn't quite match that criterion.

Although his own film Iqbal failed to represent India this year, producer-director Subhash Ghai defends the selection. 'Paheli represents India's colourful culture and ethos and mythical beliefs,' he says. 'It's based on an original work of an Indian writer from Rajasthan. These are elements that may have tilted the scales towards Paheli.'

But others view Paheli's public relations campaign with disdain. Producer-director Mahesh Bhatt has been scathing in his comments about the expenditure of millions of rupees offshore in an attempt to woo an audience that doesn't care for Bollywood. 'The manner in which people wag their tails in front of foreign academies and get swayed by them is pathetic and unacceptable,' Bhatt said in a television interview.

'There are one billion people in this country and they're a better judge of an Indian film than those who sit on foreign soil and pass judgment.

'The yardsticks are completely different. I think the box office rating given by the rickshaw-puller in this country who watches the film and determines whether it's worth watching is far more important for any filmmaker.

'When you make a film, you have to keep in mind the interests of the billion people you're catering to here. The idea is not to make crossover films, which a majority in this country may or may not like. If you want to cater to the international audience, go raise your money there.'

And if the Golden Globe nominations are the precursor to the Oscars, Khan might as well take heed of Bhatt's words and get on the first flight home. India didn't make the cut (China's Kung Fu Hustle and The Promise were among those nominated).

Still, the campaign continues, with television interviews and appearances on US morning talk shows. After all, as Khan says, it would be an honour just to be nominated.

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