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In what would be marked as a red letter day for <keyword id="729067" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="LGBTQ">LGBTQ</keyword> worldwide, the <keyword id="58853" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="US-Supreme-Court">US Supreme Court</keyword> legalised <keyword id="6464875" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="gay">gay</keyword> marriages all over country in a landmark judgement. From people coming out on the streets to people taking to social media to celebrate, it was made an example to be followed by the rest, especially with existence of controversial laws which criminalising LGBT rights and activities, and India is one of them. But the question that arises is, will India ever get there? <keyword id="15486" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Onir">Onir</keyword>, the award-winning Indian film director of movies like <keyword id="657459" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="My-brother-Nikhil">My Brother...Nikhil</keyword>, I Am, Bas Ek Pal, talks to Business Insider India about growing up gay in India. 
 

	What is your opinion on the US Supreme Court’s judgement legalising gay marriages and its impact in India?
 

	It comes at a time when in 2013 the Supreme Court of India took the opposite stand, turning down the Delhi High Court verdict. It signifies that we cannot ignore LGBTQ rights for long, as we are being the largest democracy in the world. India will not be a true democracy till all the citizens of the country (different minority communities, gender and sexuality) have equal rights. The act should go as it’s really long overdue.
 

	What pleasantly surprised me was when the US Supreme Court judgement was announced, many people put up rainbow flag as their profile picture on social network like Facebook. I have never seen this kind of reaction coming from everybody, irrespective of their sexuality preferences and gender. For the first time seeing so much support for human rights in this country is very encouraging and I hope the global phenomenon would also give a push to the change happening within our country.
 
 

	How is India as a place for LGBTQ community?
 

	I think that, traditionally, before the colonial British came in and brought in Section 377, Indian as a culture has been much more accepting. Like, if you look at our mythology, there has been a whole concept of Ardhanarishwar (that is, everyone is part male and part female at the same time).Even if you look at Kamasutra and at its different forms of sexuality, sexuality has been celebrated in this country. Unfortunately, because of the Victorian morals and the laws that the British brought in, we are still holding onto those laws. But I think as a civilisation, India has a culture of being more inclusive. We have accepted different forms of religion, caste, culture; it is such a homogeneous country. I think that spirit needs to be celebrated in terms of acceptance of sexuality also. 

	 
	 
	 
	How was your experience growing up gay in Indian society?

	 
	 
	I have been fortunate for being a part of a very encouraging family and friends but my identity is not just my sexuality. I have never faced problems within the family and my friends circle. I told about this to my sister when I was 19 years old. They love me for who I am and not on the basis of my sexuality. I gain all my strength because of their support. 
	 
	 

	Yes, it does not feel good to be in a country where your identity is by law criminalised, and that is something that hurts me the most. That is why I have always been vocal about LGBTQ rights. More than anything, it is human rights violation that is happening here. But having said that, it is also because of law and society the representation of the community in all aspects of life is scant. 

	For example my last film, I Am, which got the national award for the best film, was not telecasted by any satellite channel in the country. So I feel the acceptance needs to be there in a wider space; everyone needs to support and promote this acceptance, and it can’t be just a mouth survey. There is a resistance from within the system itself. Therefore, all those policies need to be questioned. And for you to get accepted, the society at large has to support this issue. For even with a film which is such a powerful media, if you can’t reach out to the target audience, how can you be a part of that change?
 
 

	Did you have to think twice before coming out?
 

	Honestly, I have been very open because of my family and friends. The Supreme Court judgement was a step back as I think there are many who tried to come out who will think much more now about it. I have never faced any discrimination, even in my film industry. My parents always taught me to feel proud for being who I am and not to hide my identity. 
	 
	 

	Ultimately it shouldn’t matter that you are gay or bisexual because that is not your only identity. I am gay and am open and proud about it. 
	Then, why do I need to be objectified and put in to a certain bracket? 
	 
	 

	But in a society where you are still not legal, it makes you much more vulnerable to all kinds of orthodox norms. I feel that everyone has the right to protect themselves. Each family comes from a different background and it is not easy to come out in the open with your sexual preferences. The day IPC 377 goes away, many more people will come out, because when you are legally empowered you gain the courage to fight against social norms.
 
 

	When do you think that day would come in India?
 

	I want to try and see positive but I don’t as there is deep silence. It is almost like being ignored and pushed under the carpet.
 
 

	Do you think the portrayal of LGBTQ community in movies at present do justification to the community?
 

	I think there is very little representation and most of it is made in a way that is caricature, and I feel that it is not an ideal representation. It is not just this community, the portrayal of women is also market driven; this is how men wants it to be. Similarly, where minority community and LGBT community are portrayed, it is solely governed by economy. 
	 
	 

	But yes, the way women are portrayed is slowly changing because women are becoming important consumers and that is what is bringing the change. Similarly, I hope that the power of LGBTQ community is realised and more normal representation of the community find place in our media.
 
 

	What is Censor Board’s role in the whole scenario?
 Censor Board and <keyword id="388113" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Central-Board-of-Film-Certification">Central Board of Film Certification</keyword> are largely governed by the central government and the laws. Censor board cannot take a moral stand. And if you make a movie on such themes, it is edited out. Though they were more supportive with My Brother...Nikhil, with I Am, there was furore. 
 

	Do you plan to make more movies based on LGBTQ rights in the near future?
 

	Honestly no. There are two reasons.
 

	1. Finance. It is hard to get someone to finance movies with LGBTQ theme. These movies do not work in the Indian film industry. It is hard to get wider audiences but scenario is changing. The industry is NOT homophobic, it just doesn’t believe that there’s any money involved in LGBTQ cinema.
 

	2. It does not get the kind of support which it should get from the people. Mentality and laws govern the situation widely. It is still seen to be a topic which should not be discussed. I Am was a national award-winning film but it failed to make an impact at the Box Office.
 
 

	Are your movies judged differently because of your sexuality?
 

	The industry has been very supportive, and it does not treat my movies differently. But yes, there are orthodox people who become conscious and judge the movies in a negative way. 
 
 Talking about <keyword id="2929078" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="legal-gay-marriage">legal gay marriage</keyword>, do you have any marriage plans in the near future? 

	Frankly, No. I am not a person who believes in the institution of marriage, an institution that has done so much harm to man-woman rights and their lives.

	 
	 
	(photo credit: Francois Matthys)

I am gay and proud of it: Onir

<keyword id="15486" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Onir">Onir</keyword>, the noted Indian director, is all set to explore the depths of human personalities once again with his upcoming movie <keyword id="806822" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shab">Shab</keyword>. 
 What has caught our attention is that this time is that there is a <keyword id="482271" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Padmashree">Padmashree</keyword> in the cast. 
 The person gracing the cast is none other than noted Fashion Designer <keyword id="1778" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wendell-Rodricks">Wendell Rodricks</keyword>. "There is a fashion element in the movie. I am in that element," Rodricks, who has finished shooting for his part, was reported saying. 
 
Other than acting in the movie, Wendell has also styled the lead actor of the movie, Ashish Bisht. The news was shared by Onir over Twitter. 
 
"Thrilled to have Padma Shri Awardee Wendell Rodricks to style my actor @Ashishbisht29 for @ShabTheFilm." 
 
Picture by TimesContent

Shab, The Next From Onir’s Kitty Has A Padma Shri In Cast

Mumbai, Apr 15 () Bollywood celebrities such as director Onir, actor Sunny Leone and author Tahira Kashyap are utilising their time at home during the national lockdown to keep the creativity flowing: from making short films, creating web shows to narrating fictional stories, all on the Internet.With cinema halls shut and all production suspended due to the coronavirus, there has been a boom in content for online platforms.Actors are going live on Facebook and Instagram to interact with fans, and musicians in the country are performing online gigs to ease the tension. Some, like Sunny, have also started a digital chat show.Tahira was one of the firsts to start a video series titled "The Lockdown Tales", where she narrates mini fictional stories - aided by sound effects - on Instagram. So far, the writer has uploaded four stories, chronicling the lives of people through fictional characters who have been affected by the lockdown.The idea to take to the digital storytelling was the "most natural" for her, she said. "It wasn't only because of the lockdown. I had to bring forth my most creative self. I was overwhelmed with the situation. I was oscillating between being hopeful and devastated, knowing what all is happening. Each one of us is living these moments and I wanted to put words, memories and stories to these moments," Tahira told .Actor Shreya Dhanwanthary of "The Family Man" fame, decided to make her directorial debut with the micro-series "A Viral Wedding: Made In Lockdown". The made-from-home series follows the story of a social media influencer (Shreya), who refuses to cancel her wedding due to the lockdown."I thought of doing something on the current scenario. Nobody had ever thought that the entire world would be on pause mode. This is unprecedented. It is an attempt to reflect on the reality of the situation in a light-hearted way through this micro-series," Shreya said.The actor believes the shot-at-home format could possibly become a new "avenue" for the entertainment industry. "We are thinking about newer ways to entertain people," she said. Onir has started inviting budding filmmakers to utilise their time in the lockdown by making short film indoors, which he and frequent collaborator-actor Sanjay Suri will judge.Onir was surprised by the response - it grew in numbers every week - and said the whole idea was to engage people in something creative."For me it started with 'Lockdown Diaries' where everyday I was putting out videos of cooking and various things I'm doing. I thought why not extend this. I'm anyway doing my own videos, which are motivational, but a lot of people -- actors and filmmakers -- approach you on social media. "I thought this is a good time to do something from home. This is a good way to look for talent also at the same time you're giving something for people to do, to engage themselves," Onir said. The sentiment to "mobilise creative minds to express different aspects of these times" was what made Suri come on board."It's wonderful that people are able to create in such trying times. Perhaps the most touching stories in recent times will emerge from these feelings. Be it short stories, inspirational videos with workouts, cooking recipes or even live session counselling or chats that people have been doing. "Many may critique it, but I feel these may inspire, educate, sensitise or even purely entertain someone somewhere positively," the actor-producer said.Recently, ad-filmmaker Prasoon Pandey virtually directed the short film "Family", which featured stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Diljit Dosanjh among others.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the lockdown last month, Prasoon felt it was the right time to do something."We were all trapped, if you look at it, and there was no point in just sitting and waiting. I started writing and several ideas came to me. I just wanted to use this time to convey a larger point - to send across a social message using entertainment, through TV and the Internet," he added. JUR KKP RDS RDS BKBK

Filmmakers, actors embrace digital storytelling during lockdown

Tamil drama "<keyword id="10477675" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="koozhangal" source="Orion">Koozhangal</keyword>" ("Pebbles"), directed by filmmaker Vinothraj PS, has been selected as <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s official entry for the 94th Academy Awards. The movie follows an alcoholic abusive husband who, after his long-suffering wife runs off, sets out with his young son to find her and bring her back. It stars newcomers --Chellapandi and Karuththadaiyaan -- and is produced by <keyword id="2571616" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vignesh-shivan" source="Orion">Vignesh Shivan</keyword> and Nayanthara. "India's official entry for Oscars this year is 'Koozhangal'. It was picked by a 15-member jury, headed by filmmaker Shaji N Karun, in a unanimous decision," Supran Sen, Secretary General, Film Federation of India, told PTI. A total of 14 films, including Malayalam feature --"Nayattu", Tamil film "Mandela", filmmaker Shoojit Sircar's "Sardar Udham", Vidya Balan-starrer "Sherni", Farhan Akhtar's "Toofan", Captain <keyword id="188665" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-batra" source="Orion">Vikram Batra</keyword> biopic "Shershaah" and Marathi film "Godavari", were in the race. Shivan also took to Twitter and shared the news that the film will represent India at the Oscar's best international feature category. "There's a chance to hear this! And the Oscars goes to... Two steps away from a dream come true moment in our lives... #Pebbles #Nayanthara @PsVinothraj @thisisysr @AmudhavanKar @Rowdy_Pictures Can't be prouder , happier &amp; content," he posted on the microblogging site. Vinothraj said he was grateful for all the love and support. "Could not be more happier to receive this news," he tweeted. "Koozhangal" had won the top honour, the Tiger Award for best film, at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), earlier this year. Following the announcement, filmmaker Hansal Mehta sent his best wishes to the team behind "Koozhangal". "All the best to this little gem! What is important is that this film's onward journey gets solid support both strategic and financial or else these selections only remain a local cause for celebration," he tweeted. Director Onir also congratulated the cast and crew and said he is looking forward to watch the film in theatre. "Congratulations@PsVinothraj@VigneshShivN@AmudhavanKar. Looking forward to watching #Peebles in the theatres . Have heard so much good things about the film. Best wishes," he wrote. The 94th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 27, 2022 in Los Angeles. The nominations will be announced on February 8, 2022. No Indian film has ever won an Oscar. The last Indian film that made it to the final five in the best international feature category was Ashutosh Gowariker's Aamir Khan-starrer "Lagaan" in 2001. The other two Indian movies to have made it to the top five are "Mother India" (1958) and "<keyword id="488018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="salaam-bombay" source="Orion">Salaam Bombay</keyword>" (1989). India's entry for the 2021 Oscars was Malayalam feature "Jallikattu", directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/icici-bank-net-profit-rises-25-on-lower-provisions-in-september-quarter/articleshow/87226034.cms">ICICI Bank net profit rises 25% on lower provisions in September quarter</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/apple-is-hiring-engineers-and-interns-for-their-tech-team-in-india/articleshow/87205763.cms">Apple is hiring engineers and interns for their tech team in India</a>

Tamil drama 'Koozhangal' is India's official entry for Oscars 2022

December 1st is worldwide observed as the <keyword id="34644" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="World-AIDS-Day">World AIDS Day</keyword>, to raise awareness about the deadly disease which has infected and killed millions of people worldwide and continues to do so. In honour of World <keyword id="19472" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="aids">AIDS</keyword> day, we’ve enlisted <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> movies, which did their bit to raise awareness about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). 
	 

	1. <keyword id="37967" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Phir-Milenge">Phir Milenge</keyword> 

	This is perhaps the first movie that comes to our mind when we think of Bollywood movies on AIDS. Starring Salman Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Abhishek Bachchan, it was directed by Revathi. The movie, which was releases in 2004, was appreciated by critics for strong performances and a novel way of dealing with the myths about AIDS. The movie did a business of Rs 2,99,06,142 and was declared a flop.

	Source: <a href="http://ibosnetwork.com/asp/director.asp?director=Revathi">IBOS</a> 
 

	2. My Brother… Nikhil 

	This 2005 movie was directed by Onir starred Sanjay Suri, Juhi Chawla and Purab Kohli in lead roles. It is said to be based on the story of Dominic D’Souza, an Indian AIDS activist. Suri played a homosexual swimmer who contracts HIV and finds support from his sister and partner. The performances of the star cast were appreciated by all. It The movie, made on a small budget, garnered Rs 1,20,00,094 at the box office.

	Source: <a href="http://ibosnetwork.com/asp/clsActorDisplay.asp?actor=Juhi+Chawla&amp;layout=filmography">IBOS</a> 
	 

	3. <keyword id="1233142" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="68-Pages">68 Pages</keyword>

	Directed by Sridhar Rangayan and produced by the Humsafar Trust, this 2007 movie tells the moving tale of an HIV counsellor and her five patients. The movie won the prestigious WorldFest Houston International Film Festival award. It was made on a tight budget of Rs 3,000,000 (estimated), and remains practically unknown in the Bollywood circuit. 

	Source: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1151299/business">IMDB</a> 
 

	4. <keyword id="2620688" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="nidaan">Nidaan</keyword>

	This 2000 movie, directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, stars Shivaji Satam, Reema Lagoo and Nisha Bains in pivotal roles. It tells the tale of a young teenager who contracts AIDS during a blood transfusion, and how she chooses to live her life afterwards. The movie collected Rs 70,00,000 at the box office, and was later declared tax free by the government.

	Souce: <a href="http://ibosnetwork.com/asp/clsActorDisplay.asp?actor=Shivaji+Satam&amp;layout=filmography">IBOS</a> 
	 

	5. <keyword id="38582" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pyaar-Mein-Kabhi-Kabhi">Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi</keyword>

	The movie doesn’t specifically talk about AIDS, but a small part of it mentions one of the lead pair’s friends contracting the disease and how the whole group of friends reacts and supports him. The movie was a flop, but managed to collect Rs 2,30,00,000 at the ticket counters.

	Souce: <a href="http://ibosnetwork.com/asp/clsActorDisplay.asp?actor=Dino+Morea&amp;layout=filmography">IBOS</a> 
	 
	Image courtesy: <a href="http://www.mybrothernikhil.com/images/wallpapers/1024x768/wallpaper4.jpg">MyBrotherNikhil</a>

World AIDS day: 5 Bollywood Movies That Spread Public Awareness About This Deadly Disease

They say there is no business like the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Mid-year-assessment-It-was-a-roller-coaster-ride-for-Bollywood/articleshow/47830513.cms">movie business</a> and indeed every Friday we have at least one new movie tossed at the audience. And by Sunday, we get to know whether the movie will be a hit, a miss or just an average fare. 
	 
	So far, 2015 has been quite an interesting year from Bollywood’s perspective. Why I say so is because on one hand we had magnanimous opus like Baahubali achieving great success and on the other, there were small budget movies such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Relive-the-90s-with-Dum-Laga-Ke-Haisha/articleshow/46395043.cms">Dum Laga Ke Haisha</a>, NH10 and Badlapur, that managed to swoon the audiences and the critics. 
	 
	Sequels like Tanu Weds Manu Returns managed to outshine their last offering and then we had Piku that conveyed human emotions in a brilliant way and also got the cash register ringing.
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				Movie Name</td>
			<td>
				Budget</td>
			<td>
				Earning</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dum_Laga_Ke_Haisha">Dum Laga Ke Haisa</a></td>
			<td>
				Rs 15 Crore</td>
			<td>
				Rs 100 Crore</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badlapur_(film)">Badlapur</a></td>
			<td>
				Rs 25 Crore</td>
			<td>
				Rs 119 Crore</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NH10">NH10</a></td>
			<td>
				Rs 13 Crore</td>
			<td>
				Rs 32.1 Crore</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanu_Weds_Manu_Returns">Tanu Weds Manu Returns</a></td>
			<td>
				Rs 30 Crore</td>
			<td>
				Rs 252 Crore</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piku">Piku</a></td>
			<td>
				Rs 42 Crore</td>
			<td>
				Rs 141 Crore</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baahubali:_The_Beginning">Bahubali: The Beginning</a></td>
			<td>
				Rs 120 Crore</td>
			<td>
				Rs 600 Crore</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

	So should we conclude that the era for clichéd, formula-based movies, is coming to an end? 
	 
	Not really as in 2015, we had movies like Hero, Tevar, Roy, etc that banked on the predictable story line to woo the audience and managed to garner mixed acceptance. 
	 
	But, if we see a larger picture, new concepts with small budgets and strong script are doing well. 
	 
	The success of Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Tanu Weds Manu Returns and last year’s Queen hinted that directors and storytellers should venture with newer concepts to engage and entertain the audience. 
	 
	To this trend, Komal Nahata, trade analyst, said, “I would not like to say that there is a trend shift that is happening. From the past three-four years we have seen some small budget movies doing pretty well. The market for such films is also growing. Earlier they used to do well only in certain multiplexes, then it grew to few cities but now in pockets pan-India, they do well.” 
	 
	While it is true that there are quite a few experimental movies that are being screened, but multiple sources in the industry, on conditions of anonymity, told us that about 60-75% of the movies that go on the floor never see light of the day. 
	 
	 
	 
	A lot of these movies are actually finished products but fail to make it to cinema halls as the distributors are unwilling to buy them or the producer has lost confidence in the movie and does not want to spend more money in promoting them. 
	 
	Despite of the fact that some movies do well in global markets, they are not released in India. The movies that have found place in this list include Peddlers, The Coffin Maker, Dekh Indian Circus, etc. 
	 
	Mind you, not all of these shelved movies have lesser known faces as their star cast. The Coffin Maker stars Naseeruddin Shah while Nawazuddin Siddiqui features in Dekh India Circus. 
	 
	Siddiqui said, “It is rather unfortunate that a lot of content-oriented movies in India are still struggling to get funding in the country and there are a few completed projects that are not able to secure a release. Not just Dekh India Circus, there are a few more of my movies that are currently not released and I have started taking more commercial projects since last year with the hope that if I become a little more known face, it will be easier for my directors and producers to get the pending projects released.” 
	 
	And off-beat movies that managed to secure a release, had to face a tough time in the process. 
	 
	For instance, Shonali Bose’s “Margarita With a Straw”, which has Kalki Koechlin as the leading lady, garnered accolades at Toronto International Film Festival and Koechlin also bagged the best actress award at The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in 2014. After much delays, the movie finally released to Indian audience on April 17, 2015.
<div style="page-break-after: always;">
	&#xa0;</div>

	Unfortunately, not all the movies are lucky as this one. There are quite a few of these Bollywoods' lost children that fail to get a screen space in the midst of high-brow glitterati. 
	 
	I managed to see the world premiere of one such movie in the very heart of London’s film world. Being a movie enthusiast, I had heard a lot about London’s prestigious Raindance Film Festival and it was quite a coincidence that I managed to see a Bollywood movie listed as an `official selection’. 
	 
	Curiosity got the better of me and I reached just in the nick of the time to see ‘Peter Gaya Kaam Se’ (PGKS) (aka The Goa Run). The super plush Vue Cinema in Piccadilly Circus was almost full and the first theatrical screening for this lost Bollywood baby was a complete entertainment package. 
	 
	John Owens' action packed adventure tells the story of a motorcycle taxi driver from Goa (Rajeev Khandelwal) who falls in love with Mira, a beautiful and beguiling drug smuggler from London (Lekha Washington). This out and out commercial flick was originally produced by UTV Spotboys but got shelved and largely forgotten during Disneys' protracted takeover of the company. 
	 
	Director John Owen, who has worked in India for many years as one of MTV and Channel [V]’s head honchos, had penned and directed this story. The movie was shot extensively in Goa and took about a month to complete. It turns out that, the Raindance founder Elliot Grove took a personal interest in the film. 
	 
	 
	 
	Says Owen, "Raindance loved the film and were determined to host the world premiere, especially as I am the first Brit to direct a Bollywood film. A fact that makes me very proud. So when Disney finally gave permission I flew over to Mumbai, finished the sound work we had pending at my cost, did the subtitles myself and had a high end digital print made. The quality of the screening was just superb.” 
	 
	Raindance is in its 22nd year and has become one of the world’s premiere film festivals and very highly thought of by the industry itself. 
	 
	Owen adds, "We didn’t have any money to promote the screening so it was all word of mouth and the buzz of social media. People came from all over the country, it was amazing." 
	 
	Ironically, on the very same weekend Disney's Khoobsurat was premiering in the UK and I could see a theatre just across the street in London's Leicester Square showing it. 
	 
	When I put this point across to Owen, he chuckled and said, "It's funny because Shashanka Ghosh and I have been friends since our MTV days. I stayed with him when I was over in Mumbai fixing up the film in September and we joked about him being Disney's loved and me being their unloved child.” 
	 
	Given the response this movie managed to get sans any promotion and that too in London, I was curious to know what plans Owen or Disney have for this movie. Owen shared that some high-flying industry folks were amongst the excited audience and they saw real potential for the film in the UK and the US. 
	 
	No wonder, UK distributors are showing interest in the movie. Even in India PGKS is well-liked amongst industry insiders who were given personal screenings by the director. After all, the film does come with some pedigree. Anurag and Abhinav Kashyap were `creative producers' and UTV’s top producer on the job at the time was the visionary Vikas Bahl (who has given movies such as Chiller Party and Queen). So, what happens now to Peter Gaya Kaam Se? 
	 
	Owen picks on a philosophical note and shares, "It's all about love and timing. PGKS came along at the wrong time in the marriage of UTV and Disney. So, it’s the unwanted child. A bit like how Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire was for Warner Brothers. Warners’ just didn’t like the film so they let Danny go off and find a new home with Fox Searchlight. Fox loved the film, supported Danny, and made Slumdog a massive box office success. The film industry does not work like a science. Sometimes it comes down to personal taste. When I get depressed about the whole thing I think of Danny and Slumdog and get inspired all over again.” 
	 
	While Owen never had the resources or connections to find buyers for PGKS, on its own, he is looking to crowd funding and other ways to get this movie to be released.
<div style="page-break-after: always;">
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	It is noteworthy, that UTV Spotboys was the pioneer of small budget, content-oriented movies in India. 
	 
	Khosla Ka Ghosla was one of the first movies in this genre that was produced under UTV Motion Pictures. Later between 2008 and 2009, under the UTV Spotboys banner, they released movies such as Dev D, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Welcome to Sajjanpur, A Wednesday, Mumbai Meri Jaan and Aamir. All these movies managed to get a fair share of success at the ticket window. 
	 
	 
	 
	Another coincidence worth pointing out in the case of Peter Gaya Kaam Se is that it went on floor almost at the same time as Paan Singh Tomar. 
	 
	The latter, too, was produced by UTV Spotboys and managed to get a release on March 2, 2012, almost four years after it was complete and it managed to be a box office success largely due to word of mouth. 
	 
	The bigger coincidence is that Paan Singh Tomar, too, was premiered at the 2010 British Film Institute London, almost two years before its domestic release. 
	 
	We spoke to Rucha Pathak on why it was such a challenge to make a movie like Paan Singh Tomar. 
	 
	Pathak was the associate producer of Paan Singh Tomar and Sr. Creative Director at UTV (now Disney India) when this film was being made and is now Head of Creative &amp; Development at Fox Star Studios. 
	 
	“The main challenges we faced while trying to make Paan Singh Tomar was that because it was probably the first time a film like this was being made people did not realise what it was going to be like and it was therefore completely against the trend in those days,” she said. 
	 
	Also we could not help ask her if is it really possible to get any small budget movie out there in the market to which she answered, “It is difficult to release small and medium budget films these days but not impossible. I think if one can find the right marketing budget and the right target audience that you want to reach out to, then it’s possible to release a film. It is really critical these days to make films at the right budget and market films at the right budget. Once that is under control then I believe one can get a film out to reach an audience that it is meant for.” 
	 
	While Pathak emphasised on the budgeting bit, Nahata feels, “Exhibition or the release strategy is very detrimental to the business of content driven movies. The moment there is a big movie coming in, they are thrown out. Most such movies need time for the word of mouth to pick up.” 
	 
	
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The distributors today are looking for instant gratification. They would expect the movie to have 80 to 90% occupancy rates for its release Friday itself. If the movie does not show results by Sunday, then on Monday it is thrown out. This was not really the case earlier. I still remember when Maine Pyaar Kiya released, it had just one cinema hall in Mumbai, later when the word of mouth spread, the movie was given more space and it was a such a huge hit,” shares Ami Shah, co-founder and creative director of IntelliAssist (a company that has handled social media mandates for Bollywood movies). 
 
Indeed, distribution is one big challenge for small budget, content-oriented movies in India. However, Director Onir mentions that it is not the only one. Just to give you a perspective, Onir is an Indian film maker, who has churned out movies such as 'I AM, My Brother Nikhil’ and Bas Ek Pal. He had crowd funded his movie I AM, which released in 2010 and also bagged the national award for the same. 
 
Ask him if given a chance would he again crowd fund a movie or give any other director struggling for funds the same suggestion and he replies, “No it is one thing to make a movie and altogether another to get it to the cinema. Marketing a movie, especially a content-oriented one is a hard job.” 
 
I would agree with his point that it is tough nut to market a movie that does not have bankable stars. Like, Filmistaan, the 2014 movie was an endearing tale of wannabe actor, who gets kidnapped by terrorists and held in the home of a Pakistani who deals in pirated Hindi films. The tale captures how both of them bond over movies. 
 
The trailers of the movie looked very bland and I was not sure whether I would want to waste time watching this movie. Fortunately for me, one of my friend dragged me to this movie and I would admit that it was actually one of the best movies of 2014 that I managed to see and yes it did manage to win a national award as well. 
 
The cost of marketing in itself is quite high as well and it is not just important to buy ad space but also to connect right with your target audience. This is perhaps one lesson that the movie Queen managed to do well and of course the word of mouth helped it consolidate its position over a period of time. 
 
Onir also mentions that the government will have to play a greater role to help protect content-driven cinema in India. “The approach that our government takes is that they treat Bollywood as a business and not art. However, it will have to realize that like any art even movies need a bit of support”. In his opinion, there could be plenty of other avenues where movies can be showcased. 
 
Now talking about television, we have 24-hour movie channels that end up playing same movie almost every weekend. Most TV channels pick up movies that have done well on the box office, so that they don’t have to do much in terms of marketing and yet they can have good TRPs on their so-called “World Television Premiere”. It is a possibility that some of these movies that are left biting the dust, some might be ideal for the TV watching audience but so far these gems are not able to get any real support for this medium too. 
 
With the coming of 4G, it is expected that some of these movies might get a fresh lease of hope. There are producers and directors that are looking for alternative channels to monetize their movies via online ads and pay per view models. Currently none of them has been able to come out with a full proof plan and hence some great marvels of Hindi cinema continue to rot in their graves, while the others in the hands of resilient makers are fighting it hard to get to their audiences.

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