Indian cinema ready to shrug off festival

After a no-show at the Cannes and Venice international film festivals, year 2005 was set to be declared a bad year for Indian cinema in terms of critical acclaim. But Indian cinema might again ride high with rave reviews for the latest cinematic ventures.

Though Indian cinema and film personalities have been on the limelight, their work was hardly seen or written about this year in the international circles. In the 58th Cannes Film Festival in May, India drew a blank in terms of films in the official selection of the festival.

Not a single Indian entry made it to the official selection of the 62nd Venice International Film Festival (Aug 31-Sep 10), the world's oldest film fest. In contrast, several major Asian filmmaking nations were more than amply represented in Venice this year.

But that did not stop Indians from staying away from the headlines.

For the first time, an Indian actor - Aishwarya Rai - delivered the inaugural speech at Cannes. Nandita Das became the second Indian after Aishwarya to be a part of the prestigious festival's jury. And Mallika Sherawat descended on the Crosette to break the myth that Indian women are conservative.

Many Indian filmmakers screened their ware at the festivals, including Subhash Ghai's "Kisna", Urmila Matondkar's "Naina", Akbar Khan's "Taj Mahal", producer Bobby Bedi's "The Rising" and "American Daylight", Praveen Nischol's Salman Khan-starrer "Marigold" and Prakash Jha's off-mainstream "Apaharan".

The singular critical praise came in the form of screening of an Academy-restored print of "Pather Panchali" in the Cannes Classics section.

The year so far has not matched the feat of year 2003 when Mira Nair's film "Monsoon Wedding", an earthy comedy set amid the pageantry of a Punjabi wedding, bagged Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion Award. The film also shared the People's Choice runners-up prize with "Maya", a film by Digvijay Singh, at the Toronto Film Festival.

In 2004, Indian filmmaker Goutam Ghose was the jury member of Montreal International Film Festival, Canada. Mira Nair's "Vanity Fair", which had more Indian connections than the fact that the director is an Indian, made it to the official competition category of Venice International Film Festival.

Anurag Kashyap's "Black Friday" was in official competition in Locarno International Film Festival. Kamal Hassan's "Virumaandi" won a special award in the Puchon International Film Festival, Korea.

The recently concluded 30th Toronto International Film Festival, however, could be the turning point.

Indian origin filmmaker Deepa Mehta's "Water", a Hindi-language Canadian-funded film made on a completely Indian subject with actors from the subcontinent, was bestowed the rare honour of opening the festival.

More importantly, the Mehta's film has raked in enthusiastic critical and audience response. Reports say Variety and Hollywood Reporter magazines are of the opinion that the film has the potential to make it big worldwide.

Set in 1930s colonial India, "Water", captures the plight of widows compelled by social traditions to live their lives as a curse. Five years ago, the film's sets in Varanasi were destroyed by Hindu fundamentalists, who charged that the film projected Indian culture in a bad light. Female actors Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi had even shaved off their hair to act in the film.

The film was subsequently shot in utter secrecy and under an assumed title in Sri Lanka with a completely new cast. Lisa Ray replaced Nandita Das and Seema Biswas took over Shabana Azmi's role. John Abraham is also part of the film. For Mehta, "Water" is the third part of her 'elemental' trilogy after "Fire" and "Earth".

Another film with Indian connection that premiered at Toronto was "Mistress of Spices". The film stars Aishwarya Rai and is directed by Paul Meyeda Berges, husband to Gurinder Chadha (of the "Bend It Like Beckham", "Bride And Prejudice" fame). The film has also come in for special mention. Besides, Buddadeb Dasgupta's "Kalpurush" was also screened.

What did not do much favour to the cause of Indian cinema was Mallika Sherawat's over-hyped cameo in "The Myth" starring Jackie Chan, which premiered at Toronto on Sep 15.

Indeed, the impact of Indian filmmakers on the international arena has been in several waves. The 60s and 70s saw names such as Ismail Merchant, Krishna Shah and Jug Mundhra. In the 80s, producers such as Patel, Amritraj, Anant Singh and Deepak Nayar made their mark. And now women directors Mira Nair and Deepa Mehta are part of the latest wave.

Many Indians, from Aishwarya to Mallika, have walked on the red carpet in the major film festivals. But when will Indian cinema find an authentic place in the festival circuit?