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<ul><li>With the end of the year just round the corner, we bring you our latest trends report that talks about marketing trends in the <keyword id="6356925" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bfsi" source="Orion">BFSI</keyword> sector.</li><li>Vishal Subharwal Head, Marketing, Digital Business &amp; E-commerce, <keyword id="472962" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hdfc-life" source="Orion">HDFC Life</keyword>, <keyword id="878756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sandeep-walunj" source="Orion">Sandeep Walunj</keyword>, CMO, Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd, <keyword id="328559" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ajay-kakar" source="Orion">Ajay Kakar</keyword>, CMO, <keyword id="6391710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aditya-birla-capital" source="Orion">Aditya Birla Capital</keyword>, <keyword id="4121510" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jasneet-bachal" source="Orion">Jasneet Bachal</keyword> – Chief Marketing Officer, YES Bank, <keyword id="178450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="abhishek-gupta" source="Orion">Abhishek Gupta</keyword>, CMO, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance, Karthik Raman, Chief Marketing Officer and Head - Products, Ageas Federal Life Insurance and <keyword id="9793035" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nikhil-bharadwaj" source="Orion">Nikhil Bharadwaj</keyword>, Head, Corporate Communications, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance share their thoughts.</li></ul>As the world slowly recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, financial services are slowly but steadily changing their way of doing business and also the way they engage and communicate with their consumers. In the last 2 years, there has been a massive shift in the way consumers interact with the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) players. With the change in consumer behavior, there has also been a shift in the way these organizations are communicating with their consumers. There is a lot more empathy, the last year has about putting the spotlight on courage, resilience and hope. Going ahead too, players in the BFSI sector will need to catch the pulse of the consumers, and reach out to them at the touch-points they are most comfortable at. The need of the hour also is to listen to consumers, figure out their pain-points and try and solve them. Seamless customer experience will play an intrinsic role in keeping brands top-of-mind. The future will be all about convenience and simplicity. To understand a few larger trends we can expect to see in the BFSI sector in the year ahead, we reached out to some key players, and here is what they had to say: Vishal Subharwal Head-Marketing, Digital Business &amp; E-commerce HDFC Life <div type="image" title="Vishal Subharwal" msid="88591744" hostid="261"></div> I believe a ‘user first, omni-channel’ approach to be a trend that marketers need to cater to 2022. Let me elaborate my thoughts. To be successful, business organizations have to move in sync with larger trends seen in wider society. These changes are often reflected in various elements such as popular culture, technology adoption curves, environmental awareness. The role of marketing is to identify such changes ahead of the curve &amp; align resources accordingly. Consumers no longer look at old-school structural boundaries but are more focused on the seamlessness of experience offered to them across touch-points, be it a physical branch or an online platform. This is a trend commonly reflected across industries, as on a standalone basis neither model serves the customer needs well. When was the last time you saw an online payments intermediary get a physical banking license, an online medicine intermediary purchase a physical diagnostic chain, an online insurance broker opening physical branches, retail stores with online integrations. There are many such examples. In the context of rapidly evolving business models, marketing capabilities hence need to be aligned towards building superior omni-channel capabilities for customer acquisition &amp; lifecycle management. Sandeep Walunj, Chief Marketing Officer, Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd <div type="image" title="Sandeep W 1" msid="88591952" hostid="261"></div> There are three very interesting trends that I feel will dominate 2022 in post-Covid Indian BFSI: 1. Social Discussion Forums where advanced users and experts handhold first-time users/ information seeker Seeds were sown during COVID when people dropped their inhibitions against digital financial transactions/ online investing. Information seeking/ handholding was the logical next (first) step and that’s what’s going to be mainstream. Going further, neutral enabling platforms will equip potential customers with information and tools to make right choices. These could also be offered/ run by an industry body or Government/ quasi-government bodies (example: MF Central mooted by SEBI) 2. Agents/ Brokers connecting with customers through Video Bots The evolution mentioned in point 1 above will further lead to distributors of financial products connecting with potential customers through video bots on social media wherein questions can be asked, individual proposals can be sent, appointments sought and transactions concluded through bots. 3. Social Commerce 2.0 with Meta+Insta leading the way Shopping while consuming social media seemed like an alien concept in early 20s but it is clearly how the consumers prefer it/ want it and desire it. We all saw the string response Meta generated and I am sure brands would be hatching their plans to leverage this trend. Ajay Kakar, Chief Marketing Officer, Aditya Birla Capital <div type="image" title="Ajay_Kakar_DSC_1575" msid="88591665" hostid="261"></div> Uncertainty will remain a way of life, in the foreseeable future. But as they say, tough times are the true test of character, and in these times, it holds equally true for a brand. While there will be a temptation to lay low and see how the uncertainty pans out, such times will help sift the men from the boys. He who sows during this time, will reap the most. Now. And hereafter. Towards this end a ‘spray and pray’ approach will not help. Brands will have to keep a finger on the customer’s pulse; be it their felt, or even unfelt (as yet) needs. Brands that can anticipate the customer’s need will have to offer relevance, simplicity, and comfort in these ever-changing times. Speed to market will become a barometer of success. While anticipating the customer’s future needs, I believe that a brand must not place all its bets only on the digital world. The customer will want and will exercise a choice. High touch and high tech. As he wants it, when he wants it. At the end of the day, the customer remains the king and the brand that not merely listens, but makes its customers feel heard for all their said and unsaid needs, in the times like these, will live to narrate the tale.” Jasneet Bachal – Chief Marketing Officer, YES Bank <div type="image" title="Jasneet Bachal" msid="88591695" hostid="261"></div>While Banks have been consistently trying to engage the ‘new to banking’ generation - Gen Z and late millennials, building a stronger connection with them will be a key trend for banks in the coming year. As digital natives, this audience has naturally come to expect digital-first experiences that are seamless across apps and platforms. Therefore, their expectation from banking is significantly different – a near-instant fulfilment which the banks will need to accommodate through products and services, in order to address this shift in behaviour. To offer a differentiated banking suite that meets these expectations, banks will need to create simplistic and personalized solutions that can come alive by re-imagining customer journeys for this segment. Using purpose-driven marketing that appeals to their emotional motivators – their beliefs, drivers and cultural environment – banks can cater to the experiences they are looking for. In sync with this, evolving the design language and communication, with a focus on simplicity and relatability, will help establish a lasting connect. Abhishek Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance <div type="image" title="Abhishek Gupta -- IMG_6499" msid="88592207" hostid="261"></div> Customer experience, data protection and social consciousness will be the three dominant trends for the BFSI sector in 2022. The last two years of the pandemic have recast customer expectations from brand experiences across various platforms. In line with these changes, brands will work on building consistency in CX, irrespective of the purchase or service channel. They will also make efforts on easing access to insurance by continuing to invest in multi-channel capabilities. While the pandemic has bolstered the digital opportunity, it has also raised concerns over data protection. As data becomes increasingly important for businesses, there is an improving awareness among customers regarding data privacy. With giants like Google and Apple making first move towards data protection, there is a looming threat to the efficacy of marketing campaigns. Brands will proactively craft inclusive data protection strategies so that customers can stay in control of their data. Lastly, brands will increasingly align with a social purpose that best reflects their brand values. Of all the social initiatives, Environment, Sustainability and Corporate Governance will be higher on priority list. Karthik Raman, Chief Marketing Officer and Head - Products, Ageas Federal Life Insurance <div type="image" title="Mr. Karthik Raman, CMO and Head-Products, Ageas Federal Life Insurance" msid="88608360" hostid="261"></div> The pandemic has made people realise that uncertainty in life is a reality and not just a sales pitch. Given that, the realisation of the need for insurance has increased, especially for term and health insurance. We have seen demand rising, not just in the metros and Tier 1 cities but even in the smaller towns and rural areas. With reduced spending on lifestyle expenses, people have greater disposable income in hand which they are keen on investing in financial instruments such as life insurance. Parents too, are increasingly keen on investing in child plans. Findings from our recent #FutureFearless survey have shown that the pandemic has influenced Indian parents to rethink their financial health and priorities for their children. Saving for their children’s education, future and milestones has emerged as the top priority for parents, along with saving for medical emergencies. In 2022, as an industry, we need to further capitalise on this demand. Using various platforms, especially the cost-effective digital medium, we need to further educate people and create awareness on the role of insurance in financially securing themselves and their families against life’s uncertainties, while allowing them to pursue their dreams. Nikhil Bharadwaj, Head – Corporate Communications, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance <div type="image" title="Nikhil Bharadwaj, Head - Corporate Communications, Bajaj Allianz General..." msid="88591976" hostid="261"></div> The pandemic has taught us that communication is of utmost importance not just for your customers, but also for other stakeholders including employees. Going forward, simplicity and authenticity, will be the most important part of all communication! While inclination towards digitization is increasing, print is not going away, in fact I see it making a strong come back. Digital media is surely the future and I see another year where this belief is reinforced further. In fact, we’re already listening to talks of OTT platforms of news channels, which might be something totally new with custom content. On the internal communications side, as always it remains as a tool which helps organizations provide right information to their employees. However, I feel that it will also play a role of culture builder wherein it will no longer be restricted to communications or HR team, but various other functions getting involved in it. With complex business models, we’ll see custom built communications for specific SBUs.

Marketing: Trends to watch out for in the BFSI sector in 2022

It has been 11 years since he made his screen debut with the critical and commercial success Ishq Vishk. In these 11 years, he has seen the good and the bad, the highs and the lows of the film industry, but <keyword id="6355887" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Shahid-Kapoor">Shahid Kapoor</keyword> has always managed to be included in the list of top-earning Indian celebrities. 
 
Reportedly, the fees that Shahid takes for doing each film varies from Rs 8 to 10 crores, other than the Rs 1 crore that he charges per day for endorsement ads. 
 
The actor, however, decided to let go of his high financial demands to be a part of the upcoming film Haider. 
The best film in his career as an actor, as per Shahid himself, is Kaminey, which came in 2009 and was directed by ace director <keyword id="33638" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Vishal-Bharadwaj">Vishal Bharadwaj</keyword>. 
 
So when Vishal Bharadwaj decided to complete his Shakespeare trilogy by adapting <keyword id="35686" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Hamlet">Hamlet</keyword> into a film after successfully making Macbeth and Othello into films titled Maqbool and Omkara, respectively, the young actor was his choice to play the title role of Haider. 
 
Getting an opportunity to work under Bharadwaj again, Kapoor did not charge anything so that the budget of the film, which is shot in Kashmir, remains stable and the quality is not compromised. 
 
“Vishal sir and I decided that we want to be as true to the film as we could. And we didn’t want the pressure of either his remuneration or mine to curb us in going out and making a film that we needed to make. So therefore we wanted to take that pressure off and be able to spend all the money on the film. And when I look back, I feel that it was the most right decision,” said the Jab We Met actor. 
 
Even Vishal Bharadwaj, who is one of country’s most successful directors, didn’t charge his fees from the producers. Confirming the same, he said, "When we started planning the film, both Shahid and I agreed that it had to make money from day one. But, we also knew that Haider was a big film with a huge budget, an ensemble cast and lavish action pieces. Filming in Kashmir added to the costs. The only way we could succeed in our endeavour was not to burden the film with our remunerations. We kept the secret between us for a long time, but it's finally out." 
 
Well, we hope that this sacrifice by both the talented actor and the ace director doesn’t go in vain and the film gets its due. 
 Also starring <keyword id="89958" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Shraddha-Kapoor">Shraddha Kapoor</keyword>, <keyword id="6358125" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Tabu">Tabu</keyword>, <keyword id="6359686" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Irrfan">Irrfan</keyword> and <keyword id="29287" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="kay-kay-menon">Kay Kay Menon</keyword>, the film is releasing on October 2 this year. You can catch the official trailer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xakmvJ0WPa4">here</a>. 
 
Image courtesy: Youtube

When Shahid Kapoor Decided To Work For Free

After a long time, here is a <keyword id="1978999" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Comedy-thriller">comedy thriller</keyword> that thrills and entertains. <keyword id="363758" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Suspense">Suspense</keyword> is intricately woven into the storyline; the brilliant acting of veterans Madhuri and <keyword id="734132" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Naseeruddin">Naseeruddin</keyword> enthral you; and there is no lack of sparkling wit – <keyword id="20399" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arshad-Warsi">Arshad Warsi</keyword> and <keyword id="766698" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Huma-Qureshi">Huma Qureshi</keyword> make sure of that. But in spite of a delectable <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> mix of <keyword id="1723" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="fun">fun</keyword> &amp; <keyword id="52355" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="humour">humour</keyword>, thrill &amp; suspense, romance &amp; deceit, <keyword id="94542" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Abhishek-Chaubey">Abhishek Chaubey</keyword>'s <keyword id="696067" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dedh-Ishqiya">Dedh Ishqiya</keyword> has failed to recreate the crowd-pulling power of the earlier movie <keyword id="33639" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="ishqiya">Ishqiya</keyword> (2010). Nor can it repeat Ishqiya's stupendous <keyword id="1996041" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Box-office-success">box office success</keyword>. 
 
In contrast, <keyword id="1434830" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Yaariyan">Yaariyan</keyword>, literally a newcomers' movie and made by the <keyword id="202523" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="debutante-director">debutante director</keyword> <keyword id="803235" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Divya-Khosla-Kumar">Divya Khosla Kumar</keyword>, has raced past the critically acclaimed Dedh Ishqiya. Released on January 10, the bubbly tale of adventure and <keyword id="125717" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="college-romance">college romance</keyword> has a <keyword id="2014756" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="First-weekend-collection">first weekend collection</keyword> of around Rs 16.50 crore nett while its four-day total has climbed to Rs 19 crore nett. <keyword id="2014759" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gross-collections">Gross collections</keyword> stand at Rs 22.20 crore at the <keyword id="827271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Domestic-Box-Office">domestic box office</keyword> after Day 4 (January 13). 
 
But more on that later. First, let’s have a close look at Dedh Ishqiya and what all it offers. The sequel of the earlier movie has seen one major change in cast, though. It’s the comeback film of <keyword id="6358652" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Madhuri-Dixit-Nene">Madhuri Dixit-Nene</keyword>, but she can’t match the spunky ruthlessness of Ishqiya’s <keyword id="3844" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Vidya-Balan">Vidya Balan</keyword>. Just like the real Madhuri, <keyword id="241381" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Begum-Para">Begum Para</keyword> is sheer magic throughout the flick because of her ethereal grace. But her on-screen manipulations pale before the earthy Vidya who managed to mesmerise all in her earlier outing. And when those sparks are missing, can the <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword> catch fire? 
 
Obviously not, going by the numbers. Dedh Ishqiya has also opened on January 10 and grossed around Rs 14.25 crore at the domestic box office after Day 4 (January 13), according to industry estimates. The <keyword id="382940" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="opening-weekend">opening weekend</keyword> saw collections of around Rs 11.50 crore nett although the <keyword id="1988011" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Screen-count">screen count</keyword> stood at 1,000-1,200 at home. But then, the <keyword id="2014761" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Occupancy-rate">occupancy rate</keyword> was abysmally low, just 20%, and it faltered even in the state of <keyword id="6357713" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> where a strong support was predicted. Collections in the <keyword id="1235960" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mumbai-circuit">Mumbai circuit</keyword> were low as well. 
 But in spite of a <keyword id="182563" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="BO">BO</keyword> slowdown, the flick has earned some glowing accolades from noted critics. According to Anupama Chopra of the Hindustan Times, “Dedh Ishqiya is worth watching just for Abhishek Chaubey’s ambition. He is not constrained by the demands of the box office.” 
 Termed as genuinely smart and spicy, with many layers of truths and realities, the movie takes you through a semi-realistic <keyword id="2014763" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Poetic-journey">poetic journey</keyword> and a <keyword id="2014764" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Decadent-world">decadent world</keyword> that you don’t encounter every day. The story of <keyword id="2014765" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Love-and-deceit">love and deceit</keyword> intertwines and flows smoothly as <keyword id="2014746" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Khalujaan">Khalujaan</keyword> (Naseeruddin) and his nephew <keyword id="964492" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Babban">Babban</keyword> (Arshad), a thief duo posing as a nawab and his attendant, set their eyes on Begum Para and her assistant <keyword id="2014767" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Muniya">Muniya</keyword> (Huma), respectively. The rest becomes a classic journey of revelation and a rare insight into human nature. 
 
“Dedh Ishqiya is an absolute delight because all its parts fit beautifully. The <keyword id="42054" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cinematography">cinematography</keyword>, <keyword id="6363322" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sets">sets</keyword> and <keyword id="571210" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Costumes">costumes</keyword> are exquisite. The editing is sharp. Most importantly, <keyword id="2014744" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Darab-Farooqui">Darab Farooqui</keyword>’s story is plotted wonderfully by <keyword id="33638" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vishal-Bharadwaj">Vishal Bharadwaj</keyword> and Chaubey’s screenplay,” writes <keyword id="122490" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="film-critic">film critic</keyword> Deepanjana Pal. 
 
But at this point, we are not sure whether the average Bollywood fans will give this movie a wide berth or not because of its subtle artistry and multi-layered messages. 
 
 
 
Yaariyan, the other release, features an overused youth-centric theme. But it tries to pose as vibrantly young and refreshingly different in approach. Starring <keyword id="975571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Himansh-Kohli">Himansh Kohli</keyword> (<keyword id="3898" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lakshya">Lakshya</keyword>), <keyword id="1923885" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="dev-sharma">Dev Sharma</keyword> (<keyword id="11610" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Neil">Neil</keyword>), <keyword id="1972144" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="serah-singh">Serah Singh</keyword> (<keyword id="25517" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="jenny">Jenny</keyword>), <keyword id="621559" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rakul-Preet-Singh">Rakul Preet Singh</keyword> (<keyword id="29620" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Saloni">Saloni</keyword>) and <keyword id="86267" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nicole-Faria">Nicole Faria</keyword> (<keyword id="1282028" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jia">Jia</keyword>), this one unfolds the story of close-knit <keyword id="2014775" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="College-mates">college mates</keyword> on a journey of discovery. But before they can come to terms with different <keyword id="6358061" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="relationships">relationships</keyword> and discover values that will keep them going, you will get tired of the regular dose of Bollywood masala punched into the mixture. 
 Thematically, it has an uncanny resemblance to <keyword id="3778" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Karan-Johar">Karan Johar</keyword>’s Student Of The Year. However, the movie is a potpourri of several other things as well – from national sentiments to international violence and tolerance, from dressing scantily to thinking less like a modern individual and a general avoidance of <keyword id="2014777" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tangible-adult-themes">tangible adult themes</keyword>. But we are eager to accept those as the infallible Indian core values and tend to ignore the under-dressing as part of the modern gear. 
 Although the <keyword id="1308674" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="production-budget">production budget</keyword> of this flick is not too high, some Rs 19 crore according to koimoi.com, the movie has been shot across states and continents – in <keyword id="6358070" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mumbai">Mumbai</keyword>, <keyword id="6355478" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Australia">Australia</keyword>, <keyword id="48118" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sikkim">Sikkim</keyword> and <keyword id="6358045" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Darjeeling">Darjeeling</keyword>. And the <keyword id="6354530" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="music">music</keyword> of this movie is simply awesome, which is another reason behind its instant success. 
 
At the end of the day, it will be unfair to compare Dedh Ishqiya and Yaariyan. They belong to <keyword id="2014794" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Different-genres">different genres</keyword> and will attract different kinds of audience, to say the least. But it will be interesting to wait and see who wins the <keyword id="2014796" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Money-game">money game</keyword> at the box office. Films, even good films, are made to churn money and losing at that level does not speak well for a movie. 
 
Images: Indiatimes

Madhuri-starrer Dedh
Ishqiya Stumbles At Box Office; Yaariyan Romps Past

<ul><li>Indian filmmakers believe that a ‘big’ Indian superhit movie like Oscar-winning Parasite is waiting to happen.</li><li><keyword id="46758" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="RRR" source="Orion">RRR</keyword> and Elephant Whisperers’ Oscar win has helped Indian filmmakers cross the bridge, they believe.</li><li>India has the talent and technicians to tell a story-on-screen that the whole world will wake up to, says producer Guneet Mongia.</li><li>A Parasite-like record-breaking success is waiting to happen, says Vishal Bharadwaj. </li></ul> <keyword id="122490" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="film-critic" source="Orion">Film critic</keyword> Anupama Chopra had one thought when she watched the Chinese movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon in 2000, “When will India make a crossover movie like that?” Since the 90s, many Hindi movies have been released in the US and UK, entertaining Indians abroad and bringing in forex. A few even found success at film festivals, but no Indian movie could capture the hearts of people across countries – not the way Ang Lee’s movie did. UK-based Gurinder Chadha too made superhit movies like ‘Bend it like Beckham’ and ‘Bride and Prejudice’ about Indians, but they were told from an immigrant Indian perspective. Even when Mumbai stories like Slumdog Millionaire were told, they were told by US-based directors like Danny Boyle. Desi movies were far from achieving any kind of acclaim or success. Chopra was further disheartened when director Anurag Kashyap told her once that <keyword id="20382" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="indian-movies" source="Orion">Indian movies</keyword> were just a comic relief. She never believed that, she shared at Zee5 Global’s panel discussion on ‘Coming of Age of South Asian Entertainment: The Time is Now’ in Mumbai. 2023: The year that changed it all Then Rajamouli’s RRR happened, and its song-and-dance number Natu Natu won an Oscar in 2023. That’s victory for the Indian way of story-telling on-screen that was once made fun of. “RRR changed the way Americans saw <keyword id="35703" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-films" source="Orion">Indian films</keyword>. People in the US were having watch parties for RRR. We were no longer that awkward brown guy with a strange accent. There was a sense of crossover taking place and that got us ambitious,” said Archana Anand, chief business officer of ZEE5 Global. Guneet Monga who also won the Best Documentary Short Film at the Oscars in 2023, believes that the path has been charted, and better things are waiting to happen. “We'll soon have our very own Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. We have the talent and technicians,” she added. The director of Maqbool, Vishal Bharadwaj also chimed in, saying, “At the rate we are going, a Parasite is waiting to happen here. An Indian film that will break all records and make it big all over the world.” Parasite is a South Korean black comedy which created history by becoming the first non-English language movie to win the Best Picture academy award. It swept the awards that year, bagging three more Oscar awards for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. Movies that went as ‘series’ Before the Oscar wins, Indian movies have been breaking through slowly albeit steadily, reminisced the film-makers. The West started looking at Indian movies differently after the iconic movie-maker Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen which released in 1994. He later went on to make a full-fledged international movie Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett. “We’ve had AR Rahman’s success with his music in Slumdog Millionaire. I’ve had my own experience with Maqbool going to Toronto. With humility, I want to say that many people are doing doctorates on my Shakespeare trilogy,” said Bhardwaj. Music composer AR Rahman shared an Oscar for his song ‘Jai Ho’ with song writer Gulzar for the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Distribution is key to taking Indian movies to lands afar, believes Monga, adding that streaming services play a role. “Gangs of Wasseypur was the first Indian five-and-half-hour film that was released as an eight-part miniseries in the US,” she told the audience.

You Searched For "Vishal Bharadwaj" and got 4 results

Marketing: Trends to watch out for in the BFSI sector in 2022

Samarpita Banerjee

When Shahid Kapoor Decided To Work For Free

Nandini Sharma

Madhuri-starrer Dedh Ishqiya Stumbles At Box Office; Yaariyan Romps Past

Sanghamitra Mandal

RRR a stepping stone — The great Indian crossover film is still a ‘crouching tiger’

Katya Naidu

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