yash chopra in berlin..........

INDIAN MOVIES GOING PLACES!!

Indian movies are becoming a rage in the overseas market and the actors are being taken seriously. This is the golden period for Indian cinema, and to add some more lusters to the whole phenomenon is the news of Yash Chopra being invited to be a jury member for the 53rd Berlin Film Festival. A big honor for the film industry, smash*ts spoke with the veteran himself about being a jury member.

Excerpts of his interview:

You are the first Indian, who has been invited for the Berlin Film Festival to be a jury member. What kind of responsibilities are you expecting?


First of all, it's an honor for me, that I have got such an invitation. But more than me, it's an honor for our film industry and our nation as well. For the kind of responsibilities that I am expecting, is first to see a whole lot of films, interact with filmmakers from all around the world. So yes, the job has a lot of onus on the jury members, and it's an experience of a lifetime.

What special preparations are you doing for the festival?

Nothing much, really. I will be going to Berlin sometime in February. I think the briefing will start coming in now as we near the date of departure. But I believe, once I reach there, it will take two days to meet everyone, for them to brief every jury member about the different films and only then will we start viewing all the films.

There are four Indian films going to the festival, which includes 'Paineeta' and 'Kalpurush'. Have you seen them?

Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to see all of them. I have only seen 'Parineeta' and I think it's a fabulous film. The rest of them I plan to see there. And then we will review it according to our rules and regulations.

These films are going there to be screened and not in a competitive category. But like your film 'Veer Zaara', which was screened last year also got a special award, do you think one of these might also get an award?


My film had gone in the international forum and that's why it won a special award. So I don't know if any if the Indian films are participating in the special forum or just a simple screening. Once I go there, I think the picture will be clearer.

It is said that yashraj films have digressed from their cliched tried and tested bubble gum romance to a more vibrant and ***y approach to film making?

well the young generation is taking over. India of todays is different from India of say 20 years ago . 70% of our population is under 35 and are very liberated being exposed to 200 channels from all over the world. Indians have evoloved sexually and its no big deal to discuss or show sex cause its such a part of our existance and of course we are the land of kamasutra and not some strict islamic country. The themes of todays movies are not the same as the themes of yesterday and it was time for the younger generation to take over yashraj and so adi and uday are running the show and they make movies according to sensitivites of todays Indian and international youth. also the fact that censorship is pretty much abolished so nutthing is deleted by the censors.




With you as a jury member and many Indian films doing the rounds of many festivals, how do you see the viability of Indian films internationally?

I think the a lot of avenues are open for our films. You can see that a whole lot of films like 'Black', 'Devdas', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum' and 'Veer Zaara' are leaving their mark internationally and doing more business overseas than in India. We also have big directors like Shekhar Kapur, Gurinder Chaddha, Mahesh Shyamlan, Meera Nair, making their name and carrying the torch of Indian Cinema abroad. So Indian cinema is now being taken very seriously everywhere. Also the fact that hollywood has had two dismal years in a row while we have had more hits abroad. now overseas collections are close to 7-8 crores in the first weekend . a good movie grosses over 30 crores just overseas in an estimated 4-5 week run.

Since Indian films are also being nominated for International awards now, isn't it a big success.

Yes it's a huge success to cross over and make international audience see our films. With achievements like these, we wish Indian cinema many more successes like these.