Finally, Aamir, how do you visualise Indian cinema growing? Do you think we will gain the kind of international acceptability we are seeking?
You know, Lagaan got huge publicity from its international acclaim. Some people in the West, who were not initiated into Indian cinema, saw it and said: "My God!" They were overawed. My response is, hey, you have only seen one, there are others! Obviously they hadn't seen Mother India, Do Ankhen Barah Haath or Pyasa. The fact is Indian cinema has been travelling the world over for ages. Do Raj Kapoor, Bimal Roy, Satyajit Ray need to be introduced all over again to the world? Everybody who is interested in cinema knows about their films. And commercial Hindi cinema is a craze in many parts of the world. When I went to Marrakesh, I found people there mad about our movies. They have been watching them for over 50 years. Agreed, the West - that is, Europe and the US - has not had the same exposure. But that's it. Indian films are screened regularly everywhere else. The kind of talent India has is world class. Leave alone acting and direction, just take music for example. Where do you get singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Mohammad Rafi or Kishore Kumar? Where do you get composers like SD and RD Burman, Naushad, AR Rahman? Do you get the kind of poets and lyricists Hindi cinema can boast about anywhere else? Let me tell you, we lack nothing. Even our technicians are world class, although the West is ahead of us in special effects and computer graphics. But there too, I believe we will catch up with them pretty soon. Our form of cinema is different from the West. But that's something we shouldn't change. Eventually people everywhere will appreciate and enjoy our form. Agreed, many films made here aren't great. But then, 80 percent of Hollywood is trash too. So, there is no need for us to bend backwards to appease Western audiences. I firmly believe we should not change our work style or storylines to suit them. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Life without art & music? Keep the arts alive today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/iuUuID/dnQLAA/n1hLAA/iyUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Explore, Experience, Enjoy A.R.Rahman - The Man, The Music, The Magic. Only at arrahmanfans.com - The definitive A.R.Rahman e-community. Homepage: http://www.arrahmanfans.com Admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arrahmanfans/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
