In a remarkable turn of events, Indian films have been making waves in the global cinema scene, receiving prestigious accolades such as the Oscars and securing coveted spots at the renowned Cannes Film Festival. The burgeoning success has sparked a newfound optimism among industry insiders, who attribute this achievement to India’s rising prominence on the world stage.
Renowned filmmaker Siddharth recently expressed happiness, saying, “I think the focus is now on India worldwide. What was once our population problem has become our strength. Previously, we were only known for our history, but now our celebrities are known worldwide. So, I believe it’s India’s time now. Our films are also participating in many festivals. What could be better for us? We are all very happy about it."
However, amidst this triumph, Indian filmmakers continue to grapple with the challenge of understanding audience preferences and why certain films fail to resonate with viewers. In an exclusive interview with News18 Hindi, Rahul talked about the shifting dynamics of films, remarking, “For the past two or three years, no film went to Cannes. But this time, two of our films went there. So, some change is happening. The films that go to Cannes are not just commercial entertainers; they are films made for an educated audience. When I went to film school, the first thing I learned was that films don’t fail because of the budget. But now, films are not able to recover their budgets, so they are considered flops. But all of this will change. The relationship between the audience and filmmakers is interdependent. The audience is teaching filmmakers what kind of films they want. If that doesn’t happen, films flop. Even today, art cinema is finding success."
In a notable development, veteran actor Rahul Roy is set to make a comeback with the film Agra. When asked about the reason behind casting him, Siddharth responded, “Films like ‘Agra’ are made for a large audience. Everyone is involved in such films. We gave Anu complete freedom for casting. In this film, most of the actors are newcomers, except for Rahul Roy, who is a seasoned artist. In my opinion, perhaps he was cast because this film is based on fatherhood, so it was necessary to have someone already popular who could make the audience understand the importance of that character. Casting Rahul may have been one reason for this."