MUMBAI: Filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Nikkhil Advani, and Vasan Bala, who have come together to lend support to indie film “Dug Dug”, say it is their way of amplifying good stories that don't necessarily have the marketing budget to reach their audience.
The four are serving as executive producers on the film, directed by Ritwik Pareek. The movie released in theatres on May 8.
Inspired by true events, “Dug Dug” follows a bizarre phenomenon in a village where a deceased man’s motorbike is believed to grant wishes, provided devotees pray to it and offer alcohol. As word spreads and prayers begin to be answered the belief snowballs into a full-blown, commercialised religion.The comedy mystery satire has garnered positive reviews from audiences.
Motwane, known for movies such as "Udaan" and "Lootera" as well as hit OTT shows "Jubilee" and "Black Warrant", said a niche audience exists for indie cinema, but reaching them remains a challenge without industry backing.
"Indie cinema doesn’t have marketing budget as bigger films have. There’s an audience out there to watch, of course, smaller audience than the ones who will go to see big films.
"But to reach that audience and tell them it’s worth their while, I think having names that can endorse it is necessary, which is why many of us have started this process over the last two or three years, with ‘Stolen,’ ‘Sabar Bonda,’ and ‘Dug Dug’. I gives validation to the film, makes people notice it and opens up a little space for indie films to play alongside the larger ones (films),” he said.
Advani, known for "Kal Ho Naa Ho", "D-Day" and series "Freedom at Midnight", described the quartet's coming together as a “necessary” step for indie cinema, though he believes larger systemic changes are required.
"I'm so happy to support whenever needed. But distribution barriers need to be broken and a solution must be reached, otherwise it’s all going to be very difficult to sustain (for independent cinema),” the filmmaker told PTI.
Kashyap, who has long championed independent voices in cinema, said such collaborations can generate “curiosity”.
“We hope it (combined support to indie films) can generate curiosity for sure and slowly generate trust. After that, the film has to run on its own legs, or we lose that trust. If we build on it, doing so also needs curation,” the filmmaker, who has his new film "Bandar" ready for release, told PTI.
When pointed toward the success of Hollywood indie powerhouses like A24, Kashyap said the absence of dedicated platforms in India could possibly be one reason why indie cinema doesn’t thrive here.
"It's not necessary that what’s working in Hollywood works here too. There they have independent cinemas, we don’t (have it here). There is a diverse audience that they have, while ours seek those films elsewhere. We want to find a way to bring them to cinema and find them a platform and if we succeed in doing so, we give ourselves a platform too.”
Bala, however, downplayed the impact of their endorsement of the film, calling it just a “recommendation.”
“The four of us coming together will not shatter any distribution barriers. It is more like a recommendation because you’re associating your name with it saying, ‘Yes, I believe in the film.’ Beyond that the real hard work and legwork is required,” the "Zigra" director told PTI.
He credited behind-the-scenes efforts of distributors-producers like Ranjan Singh, who often find space in theatres for indie projects.
On whether the fatigue of big-budget “tentpole” films is pushing audiences towards more grounded storytelling, Kashyap said he prefers not to generalise audience behaviour.
“We don’t know what the audience is seeking. I definitely know what the artist or cinephile in me is seeking, so the effort is to create that atmosphere. You get what you vote for. I vote for the alternative (cinema),” the filmmaker said.
Motwane disagrees with this notion, saying that diverse audience preferences have always existed.
“The audience is looking for something new and different all the time and even though 60 to 70 percent will watch a certain kind of thing, there’s 30 percent of the audience that is going to watch something different. We are seeing it on streaming, reels, micro dramas, and the big screen,” he said.
“I don’t think tentpole films are fuelling this counter movement. It’s always been there, it’s always existed. The important thing is to be able to give people options and opportunity to watch something that is not tentpole,” Motwane added.