Posted:
Q&A, now with Amitabh
Shubha Shetty-SahaTuesday,February 24, 2009 12:16 IST
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan has long made it clear that he isn't enamoured of the Oscars. Slumdog Millionaire's success at the Academy Awards has done little to change his mind. In an email interview, Bachchan explains his stand, questioning if the Oscars should be considered the ultimate and final recognition for every film made in the world.
Do you think too much hoopla is being made about the Oscars...are we giving too much importance to what seems like just an award ceremony in the US? or do you think its big enough to deserve the kind of attention it does?
AB: This is a typical media exercise. Start something, then look for celebrity endorsement for or against it, highlight comments made, headline them, initiate controversy and thereby guarantee several good copy. By the end of it, the perpetrator of this 'crime' is lost and forgotten and some vulnerable celebrity has his neck dangling on the anvil.
Who is the 'we' that you talk of in the question. Surely you will not hesitate in agreeing that the media through its powerful medium is the creator of this hoopla. Your argument in defence shall be, we are merely reflecting the voice or the conscience of the people and inviting comment through the principles of fair journalisim. All very well and clear. Its what follows afterwards that brings in the discomfort.
The Oscars is a film award ceremony conducted in the US. Through the years it has built itself into a powerful brand that now unabashedly conveys that it is the very best in the world. It is a matter of personal belief and choice whether one believes in that or not. Or whether it deserves the kind of attention that it does. Live with this, I would suggest. Why the unnecessary verbal jargon on it. We respect the respect of the Oscars as we would any institution that honours excellence and rewards it. Big enough small enough, important not important is not up for debate.
Do you think we should be looking at Oscars as the ultimate parameter to judge a film, considering that the films of other countries, especially Asian countries, have entirely different cultural flavours and perhaps the finer naunces could escape the judges there?
AB: For me the ultimate parameter to judge a film has been the audience. Their reward is the biggest and the best and the most lasting. But this is my personal choice. As I said earlier, we respect the Oscars. They are an American Award ceremony, conducted to honour films made in English and in the US. They also honour films from other countries under a special section and we acknowledge that.
I would presume that they have set themselves conditions and parameters within which they would assess the merits of films that come up for consideration. Who are we to comment on the veracity of their judging system ? Do you ever question why Filmfare, or Screen, Zee, Stardust and our National Awards not consider Hollywood films or films from other nations for reward ? Do you question the judging system of these institutions ? Barring of course the National Awards, because they are Government Awards and under democratic and constitutional norms subject to question and answerability.
Do you think our films deserve much more attention than what we have recieved from the Oscars till date? Is it time that we are more proud of our movies than we are?
AB: I find this question funny. As a child I can ask my parents to consider me as deserving of more attention. As a citizen of India I can ask my Government to give me more attention. I can ask my wife to give me more attention and be deserving of it. But the Oscars are not my parents or my Government or my wife. Who am I then to question whether our films are deserving of more attention by them. They are an independent and a foreign institution, we honour and respect them.
We are very proud of our film Industry and our movies. What is 'more proud' ? One can either be proud or not proud, but 'more proud' I am unable to understand. And just being 'more proud' is not going to get you 'more' deserving attention from the Oscars Academy.
A lot of films from India, which seemed excellent, have not been able to make it to the Oscars....Do you think they deserved better?
AB: Again here the assumption from your question is that the Oscars are the ultimate and final recognition and destination for every film made in the world. You would have to convince me first that they indeed are. Each independent institution has their own yardstick to measure excellence. As things stand they have not found any of our films worthy. Fine. We do not crave for it. If it comes we shall humbly accept and honour it. But then again this is not a generalised statement. It is independent and individual.
A few technicians from India (for example Rasool Kutty ) have managed to get the attention of the Oscars, while the actors from India are still to make a mark...What do you attribute this to?
AB: Yes true. The reason that Rasool has received attention is because he has worked in a foreign ( English ) film that has received Oscar nomination. When their system of judging feels actors from India deserve an Award we shall respectfully acknowledge it. There have been very few instances when an actor not speaking English in a non English film has been recognised for his acting capabilities. We make films in Indian languages and speak Indian languages.
Do you think Indian films need to be marketed better worldwide and its not the quality of the films but lack of exposure that has led to us not getting enough world wide recognition?
AB: Yes marketing does play an important part in the furtherance of our products world wide and I believe that very concerted efforts are already in place to enhance our presence beyond Indian shores. English being a more universal language we do feel handicapped there, but I believe cinema is a universal medium and does not need dependence on language for it to be understood. We have come a long way from 60-70 years ago when cinema in India was considered a medium that was infra dig. We have continuously moved ahead and moved forward. We are already attracting a huge amount of attention and its getting better by the day and the hour.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1233806
Shubha Shetty-SahaTuesday,February 24, 2009 12:16 IST
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan has long made it clear that he isn't enamoured of the Oscars. Slumdog Millionaire's success at the Academy Awards has done little to change his mind. In an email interview, Bachchan explains his stand, questioning if the Oscars should be considered the ultimate and final recognition for every film made in the world.
Do you think too much hoopla is being made about the Oscars...are we giving too much importance to what seems like just an award ceremony in the US? or do you think its big enough to deserve the kind of attention it does?
AB: This is a typical media exercise. Start something, then look for celebrity endorsement for or against it, highlight comments made, headline them, initiate controversy and thereby guarantee several good copy. By the end of it, the perpetrator of this 'crime' is lost and forgotten and some vulnerable celebrity has his neck dangling on the anvil.
Who is the 'we' that you talk of in the question. Surely you will not hesitate in agreeing that the media through its powerful medium is the creator of this hoopla. Your argument in defence shall be, we are merely reflecting the voice or the conscience of the people and inviting comment through the principles of fair journalisim. All very well and clear. Its what follows afterwards that brings in the discomfort.
The Oscars is a film award ceremony conducted in the US. Through the years it has built itself into a powerful brand that now unabashedly conveys that it is the very best in the world. It is a matter of personal belief and choice whether one believes in that or not. Or whether it deserves the kind of attention that it does. Live with this, I would suggest. Why the unnecessary verbal jargon on it. We respect the respect of the Oscars as we would any institution that honours excellence and rewards it. Big enough small enough, important not important is not up for debate.
Do you think we should be looking at Oscars as the ultimate parameter to judge a film, considering that the films of other countries, especially Asian countries, have entirely different cultural flavours and perhaps the finer naunces could escape the judges there?
AB: For me the ultimate parameter to judge a film has been the audience. Their reward is the biggest and the best and the most lasting. But this is my personal choice. As I said earlier, we respect the Oscars. They are an American Award ceremony, conducted to honour films made in English and in the US. They also honour films from other countries under a special section and we acknowledge that.
I would presume that they have set themselves conditions and parameters within which they would assess the merits of films that come up for consideration. Who are we to comment on the veracity of their judging system ? Do you ever question why Filmfare, or Screen, Zee, Stardust and our National Awards not consider Hollywood films or films from other nations for reward ? Do you question the judging system of these institutions ? Barring of course the National Awards, because they are Government Awards and under democratic and constitutional norms subject to question and answerability.
Do you think our films deserve much more attention than what we have recieved from the Oscars till date? Is it time that we are more proud of our movies than we are?
AB: I find this question funny. As a child I can ask my parents to consider me as deserving of more attention. As a citizen of India I can ask my Government to give me more attention. I can ask my wife to give me more attention and be deserving of it. But the Oscars are not my parents or my Government or my wife. Who am I then to question whether our films are deserving of more attention by them. They are an independent and a foreign institution, we honour and respect them.
We are very proud of our film Industry and our movies. What is 'more proud' ? One can either be proud or not proud, but 'more proud' I am unable to understand. And just being 'more proud' is not going to get you 'more' deserving attention from the Oscars Academy.
A lot of films from India, which seemed excellent, have not been able to make it to the Oscars....Do you think they deserved better?
AB: Again here the assumption from your question is that the Oscars are the ultimate and final recognition and destination for every film made in the world. You would have to convince me first that they indeed are. Each independent institution has their own yardstick to measure excellence. As things stand they have not found any of our films worthy. Fine. We do not crave for it. If it comes we shall humbly accept and honour it. But then again this is not a generalised statement. It is independent and individual.
A few technicians from India (for example Rasool Kutty ) have managed to get the attention of the Oscars, while the actors from India are still to make a mark...What do you attribute this to?
AB: Yes true. The reason that Rasool has received attention is because he has worked in a foreign ( English ) film that has received Oscar nomination. When their system of judging feels actors from India deserve an Award we shall respectfully acknowledge it. There have been very few instances when an actor not speaking English in a non English film has been recognised for his acting capabilities. We make films in Indian languages and speak Indian languages.
Do you think Indian films need to be marketed better worldwide and its not the quality of the films but lack of exposure that has led to us not getting enough world wide recognition?
AB: Yes marketing does play an important part in the furtherance of our products world wide and I believe that very concerted efforts are already in place to enhance our presence beyond Indian shores. English being a more universal language we do feel handicapped there, but I believe cinema is a universal medium and does not need dependence on language for it to be understood. We have come a long way from 60-70 years ago when cinema in India was considered a medium that was infra dig. We have continuously moved ahead and moved forward. We are already attracting a huge amount of attention and its getting better by the day and the hour.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1233806
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