FutureofIndianCinema

Date:Jun2001

PresentScenario:

Motilal,RajKappor,DilipKumar,SanjeevKumar,Dharmendra,Rajesh Khanna,AmitabhBacchan,KamalHassan,Govinda,Amirkhan,SharhRukh Khan,ManojVajpayeeetc.. ThesearesomeofGreatActorsofIndianFilmIndustry.Theyhaveactedin waythathascreatedhugeAudiencebaseforIndianfilms. SomeofthemhavesettledstandardforCommercialActingwhilesomeof themhavefollowedthatstandard.Someofthemhavetheirownstyleof Actingwhilesomeofthemhavefullyorpartiallyadoptedtheothersstyle andletterdevelopedtheirownwayofActing. Whateverstyletheyhad,butpurposeissoleTomakeAudienceCry,Laugh, Sad.TogivedeepfeltexperienceofvariousHumanemotionstoViewer Sometimestheysucceededandsometimestheyfailed.Butattempttogive Audiencedeep,richemotionalexperiencehasbeenandwillbealways prevailinginIndianFilmIndustry. AfterwatchingIndianActorsforsomanyyearsandwitnessedtheirgreat performances,IhavetriedtodefinetheINDIANWAYOFACTING??? WhatisActing??HowtodefinetermActing???WhatisAudience perceptionofActing??? Inmyview,Performerwhocanenkindle,excite,provokeoverwhelming emotionalresponseinAudience,isGreatActorforAudience. ActorhastoaroseorstimulatevariousemotionsinAudiencetoprovidethem deepfeltemotionalexperienceregardlesswhatevertechniquetheyuse, whatevervocabularyslangtheypractice. SuccessfulActoralwaysknowsthattostimulateparticularemotion,which behaviorpatternheneeds.Audiencealwaysseekforrichemotional experience.TheywanttounderstandwhatActorsaystothem.Theywantto establishauniquecommunicationbondwithActorandifActorprovidesthat

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uniquecommunicationbond,theywillbelieveinHimandinhistalent.To convinceAudienceandtojustifywhatHeistellinganddoingonScreenis theJobofAnActor.InthiscontextIliketomentionaquotefromFamous MovieMakerofHollywoodLaurenceOlivieris:

"Arrestingperformancebyanactorisnotamatterof styleorrehearsal,butofselfknowledgeandaninescapabledesirefor completepersonalexposure.Thatcompulsionforpublicemotional nakednessdrivestheactortoasknot"whomustIbecometocreatethe character?buttoask,"whodoesthecharacterbecomebecauseIplayit? It means, in short, Audience makes Actor Character. In future also Actors has to follow same principle.

Futurerequirements:

AtpresentIndianfilmsaremoresimplemindedandplain.Theyaregoodbut thelakecomplexity,whichwillbeinmyviewessentialforFuture development. ComplexityinCharacterdevelopment:

Humanbrainismostcomplicatedanderraticobjectofworld.Thewhimsof Braincanneverpredictedandthismakesdecisionshumantakesmore complexandperplexed. HindiCinemaneedstoportraysuchcomplexandwelldesingedcharactersto holdtheattentionofAudienceandtoenhancethequalityofHindicinema. ComplexstorieswillgiveopportunitytoActortoplaycomplexCharacters. AnditwillbeActorsresponsibilitytoshowthatCOMPLEXITYintheir performanceindeepfeltway.ManyofourgreatActorshavedonethisquiet successfullyf.eks.RajKapporinAwara,SanjeevkumarinSholey,Nana patekarinParinda,PareshRawalinSir,NasiruddinShahinSarfaroshetc.. thesearesomeofwellplayedanddeeplyfeltcharacterswhichhadadeep complexityintheirnature.Theywerecreatedwithdepth,andhaving HumansensitivitiesandnotmerelyBlackandWhitesortofusualcharacters. InfutureWeneedmoresuchkindofCharacters,whichgivenewdimension toActingandnewemotionalfulfillmenttoAudience.Thissortofcomplexity alwaysenticeAudiencetoknowmoreaboutcharactersandholdtheir attentionforwholefilm,ifcharacterisperfectlypresented. Infuturefilmsneedtocreatesuchacomplexanddemandingcharactersmore becauseAudiencewillbesmarterandmaydemandmorepenetrationinto characters,morejustificationabouttheiractionsanddecisions.Theymayseek moreemotionalacquaintancewithcharacteranddeepinsightintocharacters

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mentalprocess.ThereforFilmstorywriterhastocreatecharacterswithdepth andmentalcomplexitywhichcanensnareAudience. Interesting,perplexedcharactersofMoviesalwayshelpstogainattentionof Audienceandteasetheircuriosity.NowHowtodepictComplexMental processofCharacteronScreen????

MentalProcess

Togivecorrectsenseofcharactersisvitalforanyfilmdirectoraswellasactor andistheprimeconcernareaforboth. NewImages:

TonarratefilmstoryCinematicMediumusestwochannelofcommunication sound(audio)andImage(Video).Correctuseofbothchannelwill givecorrectsenseaboutCharactersmentalprocessandstimulateemotionsin Audienceaccordingly. Hindifilmsmostlyuses,Facialexpressionsandsoundtodescribethemental processofCharactersbuttheyhavetheirownlimitations.Wearehaving settledIMAGEStoportrayhumanfeelings.f.eksGreenloans,High mountains..suchNaturalViewsarealwaysusedtostimulateemotionof love.Rains..HeavyRainandBlowingWindaremostlyusedtostimulate feelingsofGrief,FearandMentalTurmoilwhilelightdrizzlingrainusedto stimulatefeelingofintimacyandsex.TheseandmoreIMAGEShavebeen utilizedagainandagainbymanyFilmmakers. Forfuture,ModernFilmmakershouldthinkwhatelsecanbeusedto stimulatesamefeelingsandemotioninAudience.Whatcanbereplacement ofOldsettledImages???Modernfilmmakershouldanalyzeaffectof Imagesofdifferentcolors,shades,physicalobjectsonAudience.Detailed workonsynchronizingofcinematicimage,sound,facialexpressionsand bodylanguagewillhelpIndiancommercialcinematoprovidecomplete emotionalfulfillmenttoitsAudienceandenhancequalityofitself. Filmmakershouldtrytoproduceemotionallyrich,informativevisualImages sothatinMovieitsmoreshownratherthanitsbeentold.

Emotionology:

TogivecorrectSenseofCharacterthatActorisperforming,itisimportantfor him/hertoknowtheRealEmotionsofcharacter.Herecomestheconceptof

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Emotionology.EmotionlogyisthesciencedealingwithHuman Emotions.ForanActoritisveryusefultobeacquaintwithHumanEmotions. EmotionsarebasictoolforanyActor.AsmoreemotionsActorableto producemorediversityhe/shecanbringinhis/herperformance.Actor shouldpresentvividsetofemotionstoAudiencethattheycancherish. IfActorrepeatsamebehavioralpatternsandsameemotionsoverandover againwhichweredeeplyfeltbyAudienceinpast,his/herperformancewill becomemonotonousandboringforAudience.Audiencewillfindthese repeatedpatternineffectiveandthereforwillnotresponsepositively.These repeatingwillalsohindergrowthofhistalentandhiscreativity.Therefor, accordingtome,tocreatefreshnessandlividnessActorshouldbeableto producediversehumanemotionsandshouldnotgethabitualtorepeatsame emotions/bodybehaviorpatternagainandagain. ToproducediversityinPerformance,Actorshouldworkhardonemotionsof Characterheisperforming.HehastounderstandCharactersemotions closely.Andforthatstudyofhumanemotionsshouldbeincludedinhisbasic training. Actorsshouldtrytounderstandemotionsinauniversalabstractmanner. Theseemotionsstudiesallowactorstoletthecharacterhaveanemotional lifeofhis/herown.Actorsshouldnotbeforcedtousetheirownemotions. Ownemotionsmeans,Emotionswhichtheyhavestainedordecoratedby theirownlifeexperiences.Actorsimposingtheirownemotionsontoa charactershouldrecognizethatactivityasinappropriatetothecharacter andoftenverydangeroustothemselves.Intheend,emotionalrecallis nothingmorethanflagilation/masterbation.Intheextreme,whethertheactor learnsemotionalrecallfromateacherordirector,emotionalrecallis emotionalrape,aviolentformofselfabuse.Anyactorwhoissubjectedto,or whosubjectshimselftoemotionalrecallistakingunnecessaryriskswiththeir emotionalhealth.Thereisasaferandmorecreativewayofbringingstrong emotionintoyouracting. Andthatistounderstandbasichumanemotions.Actorshouldonlylendhis bodyandvoicetoCharacter,nothisOWNemotions.Heshouldbuild charactersemotionallifeasrealhumanbeingandtrytomakecharacterreal. f.eks. IfActorhastoperformacharacterwhoishungry,andwantstoperform emotionofHunger,insteadofdigginghispastandrecallthatemotional experiencehefeltandlendthatexperiencetocharacter,heshouldtryto understandemotionofHungerinuniversalmannerandattachhis understandingofemotiontoCharacterheisplaying.Bydoingso,hewilljust usehisbodyandvoicetonarratecharactersemotionalexperiencethanto repeathisexperienceundermaskofcharacter.Actorshouldputasidehis pointofviewandhisexperience,whileplayingcharacterbecauseitsnothe istalking,itscharactertalkingtoAudienceandheisjustlendinghisbody

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andvoicetoCharacter.Actorcanusehisownemotionalexperienceonly whenheisplayinghisowncharacter.Butthatcantbemorethanfewtimes. Inshort,ActorexpressesCharactersemotions.AndthatswhyActor hastoopenallthechannelsofdifferentexpressions.Heshouldableto developamuchlargerscaleofexpressionthanthecustomarycasualmeansof behaviorinlifepermit.Thequalificationsoftheactoraregenerally thoughttobeagoodphysique,aretentivememory,analertbrain,a clear,resonantvoicewithgoodarticulation,andcontrolledbreathing.. Hisvoicemustbeflexibleandexpressiveofallsituationsand experiences.Itmustbeabletodelivera"poor"voiceoravulgar,rough, angry,orharshvoice.Itmustvaryasmuchastheeventstobecreated. Hisattitudesmustbethoseofthecharacterofahumanwhomaybeill atease,slovenly,awkward,debilitated,ornaturalgivingnoindication thatitisbeingaccomplishedbyaskilledcraftsman. ByacquiringthesequalitiesActorwillabletocreatediversityanduniqueness inhisperformance. WemustnotforgetthattomanifestdifferentcharactersisonlyActorsduty, butitiscombinedeffortofWriter,Director,ProducerandfinallyActor.. Writershouldtrytocreatecomplexstories withnewtypeofcharacterizationthanonlyHITones.Heshouldtryto composenewDialoguepatternforActorthanHITones.Directorshould workhardonnewImagesthanHITones.Heshouldtrytomotivate Actorscreativityandtrytoadvancehisperformance. ProducershouldabletotakeRiskandshouldmotivatehisteamscreativity. Producershouldefforttomakemoviesbasedonfreshsubjectsandinother handheshouldalsotakecarethatoverallfilmperformanceremains AudiencecentricandAudiencefocussed.

Audience
ImportanceofAudience: Indianfilmhasdiversemarkets:NRIAudience,IndianEliteAudience,Rural Audience.Eachindividualviewerhasitsownchoice,andhe/sheinterprets movieaccordingtohis/herunderstandingofMovie.ThisUnderstandingor PerceptionofMovieisbasedonviewersbackground,culture,societyand his/herownnature. MoviewhichhasbeenappreciatedbyonetypeofAudience,canbe depreciatedbyothertypeofAudience.ForexampleSongsarealways appreciatedbyIndianAudience,butforWesternAudienceSongsarestill uncannyandunnatural.

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Pointhereisdifferentmarketshavedifferentchoicesanddifferent requirementsfromMovie. Afilmmakercanhopeforasuperhitmovieonlywhenheamalgamatesthese diversemarketsinhisproductforGlobalAudience.

ItiswidelywhisperedthatIndianfilmhasdiversemarketandeachmarket (Audience)hasitsuniquerequirementsandneed. Thesefilmsandmanymorefilmshaveprovedthatitisnotimpossibleto amalgamatediverseaudiences. Tounderstanddifferentmarketsandtoknowcloselytheirrequirementis veryessentialforFilmmaker.Filmmakerhastoanalyzedifferencesand similaritiesofallkindoffilmaudiences.Sothathe/shecanunifythemand createproductwhichisgraspableandperceivablebylargenumberof Audience. Filmmakerhastofindaformulatointegratedifferentrequirementsof differentaudience,andspeciallyIndianfilmmakershouldtrytoexpandthe zoneofIndianfilmsintoworld. ByunderstandingBasicHumanInstinctsandEmotions,Filmmakercanable tocreatesomethingwhichcanbeperceivedbyallHumansinotherwords, WHOLEWORLD. IndianfilmmakershouldtargetWorldAudience,inthiscontext. InthisInternatetimeWorldisbecomingsmallerandcloser.Allculturesare graduallyshakinghandswitheachother.Newcosmopolitancultureis graduallyestablishing.InthishighlyprogressiveeraNewhorizonsof entertainmentwillbefound.MillenniumFilmmakerhastounderstandnew rulesofoldgamequicklyaspossibleandtrytoinfuseIndianMoviesinto worldmarket. Infuture,IQofAudiencewillbeincreasebyleapsandbounds,andtheywill demandmorenew,moreintellectandmorefreshamusement,holdingtheir oldperceptionsinMind.SotokeeppacewithAudience,Filmmakerhasto keephimselfupdatedonSocialchanges.. MarketingTime: ComingtimeisMarketingtime.Filmmakersgoingtospendlotsofmoney andenergytomarkettheirproductMovie.FascinatingandAppealing MarketingtacticswillbepotentialforceinMovieMaking.Attheendofday, itwillincreaseproductioncost.ExpansiveSets,ModernVisualeffect techniques,HighMarketingCostwillpressurizefilmmakertomakemoney makingmovieratherthanGoodorBadmovie.IntimeofMarketingMoney makingmovieisGoodmovie..isntit!!! PointisinthisHighTensiontime,whenlotsofmoneybeinginvestedin moviemaking,WillIndianmoviemakerabletoRiskbyinjectingnew perspectivesandfreshIdeas??

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AsIhavewrittenearlier,IQofAudiencewillincreasebyleapsandbounds, andthisleapsandboundswillcompelmoviemakertotakerisksandinfuse newthoughtsincinema.He/ShehastodoittosustaininMarket. Whensomeoneintroducenewideas,thereisclearandpresentdangerof beingFailure.ByunderstandingofAudiencesnatureandculture,effective andimpressivecharacterizationanddeepfeltpresentationofstorycanavoid thisFailure. NewIdeas: 1) Lovestory MoviesbasedonLoveStorieshaveverylargeviewerbase.Indian AudienceliketowatchLoveStories.Romanticsongs,GreenNaturalImages, Lovelyfaces,LargeBungalows,ScentofCulture,Mourningsongs,Painof Love....thesethingsareverydeeplyfeltandtouchyforIndianAudience.If theseelementstreatedproperly,AudiencewillbejustGushingwithMovie. LovestoriesaremostlyLinearanddirect.Mentalcomplexationsaremostly staysapartbecausetheymayhurtcheerfulnessofMovie,andmayharm AudiencesRomanticFantasies. LoveMovieshavedonequitegoodprogressintermsofCinematography techniques.VideoImagesandAudioSoundEffectsarebettered. Infuture,AudiencemaydemandformoreadvancedCinematographyin additionnewstorylinewithmoredepthandvariation. Lovestoryneedstodesignfromnewpointofview.NewMethods,NewIdeas shouldbefoundtocreatesensationofLoveinAudience. Inmostlovestoriesmostofeventsandcircumstancesareplottedtofavor actionsofHeroorHeroineorBoth.Eventsandplotsaredesignedjustto justifyHerosactionanddecision.ThistendencyofLEANING,mayenchant onepartofAudience,butitisalsodisassociatinglargepartofIntellect AudiencespeciallyWorldAudiencefromMovie.Forexample,tocreate obstacleanddramaticeffectinLovestory,rejectionofLovebyoneofparents isalwaysshownandbyovercomingthatRejection/Obstacle,Heroproveshis TrueLove.Now,WriterhascreatedeventswhichjustifiesHeroslove,but he/sheshouldalsoworkonJustifyingParentsRejection.Rejectionshould besocioculturalanditshouldabletogivecloseviewofourculture. RejectionshouldbeabovepersonalrivalryorrealreasonofRejectionshould bebeneathPersonalrivalryandshouldbeunmaskedattheend.By penetratingtotherootcauseofRejection,Writerwillbeabletoprovidereal reasonofRejectionandthusjustifyingRejection.Ifmoviejustifylove stronglyandhatredalsoasintensely,Moviewillbemoreenliven,enrichand cancaterlargeamountofAudience. Inshort,eachCharactershouldjustifyitsaction. 2) LostandFoundformula:

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LostandFoundformulahasworkedsuperblyforIndianAudience.Movies basedonthisformulaweredesignedanddevelopedbythegreatFilmmaker Mr.ManmohanDesai.HewasfounderofthisFormula. ThemeofthisRecipeistwoormultiplebrothers/sisters(mostlybrothers) getdisunitedintheirearlychildhoodbecauseofsomevillainousreasonand theyreachatdifferentlocationswheretheygrowandlasttheyreunitand takerevengeofthatvillainousreason.. Interestingfactisbecauseoftheirdifferentlocationofupbringing,their socializationisdifferentfromeachother.Theygrowindifferentculture, society..andthustheyhavedifferentbackground. Buttheirgenesaresame,sotherewillbealsosimilarities.Theydifferfrom eachotherduetotheirbackgroundandtheyequalizeeachotherduetotheir genes.SohereWriterhasroomtousehisfantasyandtoroamintodifferent culturesandcharactersdeeply. Writerhaschancetoexploreandaddressallthecomplexissuesrisingwhen twoculturesmerge.Forexample,IcanthinkastorywhichisbasedonLost andfoundFormulaandinwhichTwobrothersborninTownnearIndoPak Border,getseparatedintheirchildhood,onereachesatPakistanandAnother staysbackinIndia.Theygrewintheirrespectedcultureandadoptedhabits fromtheirsociety.Theygrewindifferentpart,sotheirsocializationisalso different. NowtheybothjoinedArmyandultimatelytheymeteachotherinBattle field. Now,SoldieragainstSoldierorBrotheragainstBrother..!! IntenseConflictwillarise,andIfWriteriscapable,He/Sheisabletoaddress thousandsofissuesbeneaththisfamoustheme.IssueslikeIndianRural problems,PakistanRuralProblems,IndoPakrelations,IndoPakhaltered, Reasonsoftheirhatredetc.ButtodothisStorywriter,DirectorandActor hastomakecombinedefforttojustifyalltheeventsandcharacters HONESTLY.

BreakingMonopolyofHeroism:

NormalIndianFilmsmostlycontainthreemajorelements: 1)Hero 2)Heroine3)Villain AllthesethreeelementsareusedtocreateeffectofHeroism.Alltheevents, occasionsaredesignedtosupportdirectlyorindirectlyHeroism.This extremeandimmoderatebiastowardsHeroismhamperstheprogressof IndianFilm.ItrestrictsthecreativityandlimitstheimaginativenessofStory writer,andhencesuffocatesthedevelopmentoffilmIndustry.

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ToinnovatenewIdeasandthemesinIndianFilms,onehastodefuse MonopolyofHeroisminmostconvincingmanner. Thismonopolycanbebroken,If: 1) HerocanbeprojectedasSmart,Handsome,BraveandCleverHuman only,notasaSupermanwhoownall32virtuesofManandhencecanbe equalizedwithAlmightyGod.IfMovieisabletoprojectHeroaslive HumanbeingwithpositiveaswellasNegativeaspectsofhisCharacter, Moviecanbemoreunderstandable,morerealisticforAudience.He shouldbemoreHumanized.Forexample,Mr.SanjayDuttsCharacterin Movie Vastav.CananybodytellthatwasheHeroorVillain,!!No,hewas neither HeronorVillaininMovie,HewasjustCharacter,aCompleteHuman.
2)

Villain,VillainisindirectlysupportivetoolforHero.VillaindoesBad thingswhichHerorectifiesandthusHeroestablisheshimselfasaHERO infilm.WithoutVillaintherewillNoHeroeither.VillainmakesHero. VillainismostlyprojectedasDevilandSataninMovies.IfMovieisableto projectVillainasAntiHero,andHumanbeingwithnegativeaswellas Positiveaspectsofhischaracter,hischaracterwilladdnewflavorinto Movieandthus,MoviewillbemoreinterestingandrealisticforAudience. VillainisvillainforHeroonly,notforAudience.Heshouldabletojustify hisdeedsinmostconvincingmanner.Forexample,Mr.PareshRawals CharacterinMovieSir.CananybodytellthatwasheHeroorVillain,!! No,hewasneitherHeronorVillaininMovie,HewasjustCharacter,a CompleteHuman.

3) Heroine,aintegralpartofHeroism.ToprojectHeroasaPerfectMale,this FemaleCharacterisalwaysneeded.Butthischaracterismostlysidelined, andmissesitspurpose.WritershouldassignmeaningtothisCharacter. SheshouldplaymajorroleinDecisionmakingprocessofMoviesEvents.

DearReader,withthisIconcludemyEssay.Iwillbeobliged,ifyoucareto sendyourremarksandcommentsonmyEssay.

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