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Bengal govt should set up a fund to help aspiring directors: Sudhir Mishra at KIFF

Bengal govt should set up a fund to help aspiring directors: Sudhir Mishra at KIFF
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KOLKATA: Three-time National Award-winning director Sudhir Mishra, during the Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) at Sishir Mancha on Sunday, said the West Bengal government should set up a fund to help aspiring filmmakers.

Speaking on 'Understanding cinema in the changing times of OTT', the 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi' director said, "Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' was possible because the then government stepped in. After that, Ray didn't need to worry. Though in the end, NFDC stepped in as they should have (Ray's 1990 'Ganashatru' was produced by NFDC). Young people need advice from the right people, they need to be pushed and promoted. The government should set up a fund, which has been done in a lot of countries. They can push an aspiring filmmaker and fund their two or three films. If he isn't worthy enough, another talent should get a chance," he said. Mishra's 1988 film 'Main Zinda Hoon', starring Pankaj Kapur, Deepti Naval and Alok Nath, was produced by NFDC and Doordarshan.

The acclaimed director, who made 'Tanaav' and 'Hostages' on OTT also said that the tax earned from films should be spent on cinema. To this, the crowd cheered.

Mishra also praised the possibilities of OTT, which he considers is immense. He also welcomed "different sorts of filmmaking and diverse content" on OTT. But the 'Chameli' director said it is a "tough and strange time". "We are living in the Over The Top world where there are OTT (read over the top) reactions to everything. What you say, and what is understood are two different things. It's interesting to imagine how Ray would have dealt at this time. Imagine Ray walking into an OTT office. Would he have been allowed to make 'Pather Panchali'?," asked the 63-year-old director, who considers thespian Badal Sarkar to be the most important person in his life.

Just like Ray had a loyal audience, the filmmaker said, OTT demands a loyal audience. The 'Tera Kya Hoga Johnny' director then raised questions about the abundance of 'content' on OTT. Despite not liking the word 'content', he said, "It is important to understand what you can do, the limits, and not jump around doing everything. It is imperative in the digital era to calm down. It is also incumbent on filmmakers not to be greedy. That's another lesson we should learn from Ray," he said.

While OTT has given a variety of content to the audience, he said it's also a world where people can get lost. "I hope OTT encourages different forms of filmmaking. A lot of talents have been rediscovered. Today, a Manoj Bajpayee is perhaps as popular as Shah Rukh Khan, thanks to OTT. There are actors like Pankaj Tripathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and KK who have no dates. I hope OTT encourages another way of seeing cinema," said Mishra.

Praising 'Panchayat', and Swastika Mukherjee, Tripti Dimri, Babil Khan-starrer 'Qala', he said, "I hope we don't return to the formula on OTT."

Talking about the 'tough times' we are in, the 'Khoya Khoya Chand' director said, "The internet was supposed to let us free. But with more knowledge available, fewer people seem to know. And there's a contrary view to everything. Hence, I stress having conversations, be it with family members or between the party leadership and the voters. The pain points can be addressed through conversations."

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