Monday 7 September 2009

The Race to Oscar Glory: Paheli and Shahrukh Khan


A Bollwood film chases Academy honours. P.Ramakrishnan writes.

Early last week, 5,798 little ballots were sent out to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and “the most famous actor alive on the planet” (TIME) Shah Rukh Khan, is hoping that at least half of them will tick the little box next to his film Paheli [Puzzle]. A quaint and visually sumptuous Hindi film he produced and starred in last year, up for a Best Foreign Film nomination. Hopefully.

Forget the award, for Indian cinema, even being nominated is an uphill struggle.

When asked at a press conference if he’s going to get a gilt-edged invite for the cinematic event of the year, Khan simply said, “I think it's a long shot… [getting nominated] but it's a good chance of getting Indian cinema some recognition."

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

When he spoke to the press, a very-much surprised Khan [the film received mixed reviews when it was released early last year] said, "I think its the time for our film industry to get recognised on it's own merit. It is time that Indian films and filmmakers and the audience do not have to be on the periphery of world cinema. I think and I believe we are as good as it gets. I want everyone to know that, and that would happen if we all believe that we are not just an exotic nation of snake charmers but a media literate and educated upcoming economy.”

However, if the past is indicative of the near future (nominations will be broadcast at 5 a.m. UST on Jan 31), well, the figures are working against him. Since the first Indian film, Alam Ara, hit the silver screen in 1931, an Indian movie has made it to the list of nominees at the Academy… erm… thrice; Mother India (1957), Salaam Bombay (1988) and Lagaan (2001).

On average India produces roughly 800 films a year, that’s about 59,000 movies over the last century churning out of the largest film industry in the world with an estimated annual turnover of nearly US$1.3billion per year and with a global reach of 3.6 billion, to Hollywood's meagre 2.6 billion. And yet, only thrice has an international celebrity mispronounced the names while reading the teleprompter during the live global telecast.

Nevertheless, Khan isn’t looking back at history, instead, he’s taking example of the movie mavericks like Miramax in Hollywood and noting the song and dance they go through to get the attention of the voters. The producers and distributors of Paheli approached the PR giant Rogers and Cowen for the film's promotion and the campaign is full on. Khan himself attended the two screenings in LA, lobbying for the voters with his trademark movie-star charms, while exquisite stills of the lead actors Rani Mukherjee and himself made it to full-page advertisements in Screen International and Variety. The buzz is clearly in the air among the esoteric circles that watch movies with subtitles.

But will it work? The selection of the film raised eyebrows in India itself where it did average business at the box-office and till date has won few awards in local ceremonies. Movies that garner applause from foreign countries usually are serious dramas, with political undercurrents or historical significance. The magical surrealism of a woman in love with a ghost disguised as her husband in the Mumbai musical doesn’t quite have the ‘Oscar goes to…” ring to it.

Though his own film Iqbal failed to represent India this year, producer/director Subash Ghai defended the selection saying, “Paheli represents Indian colour culture and ethos and mythical beliefs. It's based on an original work of an Indian writer from Rajasthan. These are elements that may have tilted the scales towards Paheli.”



While he backed the actor and wished him well, there are others of a diametrically different opinion grabbing headlines and columns. Indian producer/director Mahesh Bhatt had scathing comments for the film fraternity spending millions of rupees offshore to dollar-loaded 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," said Bhatt in a televised interview to an Indian channel.

"There are one billion people in this country and they are 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 is worth watching or not 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 are 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!"

If the Golden Globe nominations are anything to go by as a precursor to the big O, Khan might as well take heed of Bhatt’s words and team India can get on their first flight back home. India didn’t, but China made the cut; Kung Fu Hustle, (Columbia Pictures Film Prod. Asia/Huayi Brothers/Taihe Film Investment Co. Ltd/Star Overseas; Sony Pictures Classics) and The Promise, Master of the Crimson Armor, (Moonstone Entertainment) are Golden Globe nominees.

Still, the campaign continues, there are interviews with American channels and appearances on morning talk shows before the ballots are collected and accounted for. After all, its an honour to be nominated. If even that.


Published in South China Morning Post, 2006.

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