> > This holds true for Hollywood, where DVD releases are delayed until a > couple > of months after the film has left theatres. In India, DVDs are released in > a > weird overlap with theatre runtime. The pirates put the films out on VCD > and > online within a day or two of release, and both theatre revenues and DVD > sales are compromised. >
I don't buy the contention that pirate VCD copies affect a film's box office; watching a film in the hall and at home fulfill different needs. If Jannat can be a hit, it means that > the filmmakers don't need a good story to make a successful film. > Well, Jannat might not have been to my taste, but it was at least original, and had the kind of budget that allowed it to make money. But leave that aside: if you look at the hits of the last few years, from Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan in 2001 to Jab We Met recently, the importance of a good story and compelling storytelling is obvious. And the kind of money invested in scripts has gone up massively in the last couple of years, and not just by big banners or for big names, which indicates that film-makers and production houses have seen the light. Hopefully there's enough writing talent out there to make the change in focus pay off. (And to go back to Jannat, the cheesy Bob Woolmer lookalike alone was paisa wasool for me, but I'm perverse that way!) -- Amit Varma http://www.indiauncut.com
