Directors Champion Middle Cinema Amid Blockbuster Era
Prominent Indian filmmakers Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Bejoy Nambiar have raised urgent concerns about the declining state of "middle-of-the-road" cinema in the country. Speaking at the Red Lorry Film Festival during a session titled 'Directors Panel: India vs the World Where Do We Stand,' they emphasized that audience support and dedicated screen space are crucial for the survival of this genre.
The Power of Audience Advocacy
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, acclaimed for films like Nil Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi, and Panga, made a passionate appeal to moviegoers. "Just go on to social media and start saying #wewantmiddlecinemaback. I think all of us have the power in our hands to encourage cinema that makes us like us," she stated. Tiwari highlighted that word-of-mouth promotion is indispensable for such films, asserting that "no amount of marketing can beat that."
This call comes against the backdrop of massive commercial successes like Animal, Gadar 2, Dhurandhar, and Border 2, which have drawn audiences to theaters for big-ticket entertainers. However, Nambiar clarified that not every filmmaker aims to replicate such blockbusters.
Diverse Storytelling Needs Support
Bejoy Nambiar, known for works like Shaitan, David, and Wazir, explained that many directors, including himself, are focused on narrating diverse and niche stories. "We are not all making 'Animal' (kinds of films), we are making different kinds of films. We need support from the audience," he emphasized.
Nambiar noted that while audiences have become smarter and more content-savvy, their unpredictability poses challenges. "It's an unpredictable audience, which makes it challenging for filmmakers like us to figure out what it is that will bring them back to theatres," he said, referencing his latest film Tu Yaa Main, which received a mixed-to-positive response.
The Critical Issue of Ticket Pricing
Both directors identified affordable movie ticket pricing as a key obstacle. Tiwari advocated for a "pocketed" approach to film distribution, similar to marketing strategies for consumer goods like detergent. She suggested targeting specific audiences in metropolitan areas such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai, where viewers are more exposed to world cinema and have disposable income for tickets.
"If you have a cinema and you think the whole world needs to watch it, it's never going to happen, because what I like making, you may not like it," Tiwari remarked, noting that many wait for such films to release on OTT platforms due to high costs.
Nambiar echoed this sentiment, stressing that audience support for middle cinema is only feasible with stabilized ticket prices. He cited Maharashtra as an example where prices are prohibitively high. "In our state (Maharashtra) we've dangerous ticket prices... a watchman will not pay Rs. 1000 or 2,000 to watch a film," he said, calling for initiatives like Tuesday offers and government intervention. "It's a collective thing that needs to be figured out."
A Glimmer of Hope
The panel also included director Ankit Sakhiya, famed for Laalo, the first Gujarati film to cross Rs. 100 crores at the box office. He thanked audiences for embracing his work, demonstrating that regional and mid-budget cinema can achieve significant success with proper support.
As the film industry grapples with these challenges, the directors' united front underscores a pressing need for systemic changes to preserve cinematic diversity in India.
