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| September13,
2008 |
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‘Inflation’ is the most commonly
used word in current newspapers and channels,
giving many people sleepless nights. But
the inflation we are talking about here
is something positive and healthy for
Tamil cinema: the inflating investments
that are set to make Tamil cinema soar
to greater heights. Pyramid Saimira is
at the moment producing 10 films, Moser
Baer is doing double the number while
Ayngaran international has 5 which includes
Robot, Aegan and Villu. The corporate
wave |
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has
arrived in Tamil cinema. After all, how long could the wave
that hit Bollywood keep away from hitting us? Big business
houses, big money, big dreams and big films- Tamil cinema
looks like a green pasture, greener than it was ever before.
It was not long ago that we used to regularly hear about producers
being broke and films being stalled. But now things have changed
- is corporate money doing the trick? If so, is this good
for Tamil cinema or will the sudden influx of big money erode
the foundations that have held Tamil cinema for 75 years?
We asked many industry insiders about their opinions and this
is what they thought about corporate intervention in Tamil
cinema. |
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Khaja
Moideen who handles the production activities of Sun
TV says that this can only be good for everyone associated
with cinema. A.M. Rathnam thinks the same way and adds,
“There was a time when every producer had to take
money at high interest rates to finance their projects,
that scenario is changing now”. Radaan Media’s
Radhika, too, feels that there is no need to feel uneasy
about the sudden corporate arrival. “It has only
brought skilled technicians into Kollywood irrespective
of the language that they speak and in turn has improved
the quality of Tamil cinema. Corporate investments must
be taken in the same spirit as they are in any other
trade”, says the actress turned producer.
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When you pose the same question to the big corporate
houses that have entered Kollywood in a huge way,
they strongly defend what they have so passionately
set out doing. Pyramid Saimira’s Swaminathan
whose firm has taken up nearly 200 films for distribution
says that it is good cinema that is getting promoted,
they do not support or finance films that do not show
promise. Arun Pandian, who takes care of Ayngaran’s
production activities, concurs and adds another crucial
viewpoint, “As in the past, no intelligent filmmaker
will have to waste his years knocking on different
doors with a good script”.
In short, what the corporate houses have brought to
Kollywood is big money and more importantly, they
have opened an era of opportunity. Opportunity is
the oxygen that talent requires to survive. Kollywood
has never been short of talent or dreams; it is the
opportunities to nurture the talent and money to fuel
the dreams that have been missing. Now there is no
need to lament about the lack of chances or adequate
money. The more heartening thing to see here is the
professionalism that is being injected into the film
industry.
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This
does not mean that Kollywood was lacking in professionalism
previously. But add corporate edge and there is a definite
difference. Some (not all) corporate houses give unbridled
creative freedom, and budgets to match the freedom. But this
does not mean budgets can inflate to any size. Yes, the budgets
are big, but they are limited. In fact, it is after corporate
intervention that the first copy system has become very prevalent
in Kollywood , keeping a check on budget overshoots (something
that was common previously). And, of course, with opportunities
being provided there is also the responsibility to live up
to the belief shown by the corporate houses which might inspire
young and eager filmmakers.
More films are made, fewer are delayed, technical perfection
achieves higher levels and Tamil cinema touches new highs-
this is the least we can forecast from what we have seen.
The corporate revolution is here to stay, it is the next big
thing in cinema and as the industry has overwhelmingly agreed,
it can only be good. |
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