Udaan producer rips apart Peepli Live
Play it as it lays, they say. Here is a no holds barred, angry response on his film being sidelined in the official entry race for the Oscars
Sanjay Singh said, “Aamir Khan is a very talented and respected actor. His film Peepli Live is good but
to say that it is deserving of India
’s entry to the Oscars is open to debate. While the subject of farmer’s suicide was dealt with in an interesting way, the media issue has been seen in some 100 odd movies these days. There was nothing new in it. Only merit plays an important role in the selection of films for the ‘Best Foreign Language’ film category in the Oscars.”Singh further said, “The last five years have seen Rang De Basanti, Eklavya, Taare Zameen Par, Harishchandrachi Factory and Peepli Live as India
’s entry to the Oscars. Three of these movies have Aamir Khan in them in either acting or producing roles (even one directing role).Does this mean that there is no other good cinema being made in India
? Is Aamir Khan the only ‘creator’ of good cinema in one of the largest film industries in the world? Why are movies being judged because of the presence of an actor? When will we realize that in the West it is the director and the script that plays an integral part in defining a film’s success?” Speaking about Udaan, he said, “It’s a coming-of-age film that defied popular genres and was both critically and commercially successful.It even got selected in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ at the Cannes Film Festival competing with the likes of filmmakers such as Godard etc. But since my film does not have any stars, it found its way to the netherworld of the awards category in India. We have to think differently.
. We have to think differently.We can’t keep sending commercially successful movies to the Oscars. Movies without stars don’t do well in our country but there are good movies still being made. For example Harishchandrachi Factory was a well made intelligent Indian film without stars and it was rightly selected for the Oscars. But such examples in the last 10 years (barring Shwaas) are few.”
He finally said, “India’s entry to the Oscars is not about pandering to certain egos or filmi cliques. It is about representing India’s best from across the length and breadth of the country. Similarly there are good movies still being made out there, with or without stars. So let us please get over this fixation on stars and move on.”
He finally said, “India
’s entry to the Oscars is not about pandering to certain egos or filmi cliques. It is about representing India’s best from across the length and breadth of the country. Similarly there are good movies still being made out there, with or without stars. So let us please get over this fixation on stars and move on.” SOURCE
Peepli to Oscars
Peepli Live, the Hindi film produced by actor Aamir Khan, will be India's official entry to this year's Academy Awards (Oscar) in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
Announcing this at a press meet here on Friday, selection committee chairman K.S. Sethumadhavan said: “Peepli Live is a reflection of India's culture and ethos, even as it highlights the burning problem — farmer suicides.”
“During the selection process, Tamil movie Angadi Theru competed closely and we considered various criteria before selecting Peepli Live,” Film Federation of India president L. Suresh said.
Calling Peepli Live a ‘social satire,' producer-director Ravi Kottarakara said it brought out the pain of poverty.
The subtle humour, which runs throughout the film, sends across the message of social awareness in a far more effective way than a melancholic film would, he added.
The selection committee comprised 15 members, including directors S. Krishnaswamy, Jayaraj and Sekhar Das, sound recordist S.K. Srivastava, writers G. Neelakanta Reddy and C.G. Rajendra Babu, music director Gangai Amaran, and costume designer Anu Vishnu.
Five Tamil films — Singam, Madharasapattinam, Angadi Theru, Raavanan and Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya — were among the 27 films initially shortlisted. Paa, Raajneeti, My Name is Khan, Three Idiots and Pazhassi Raja also made it to the list.
Directed by journalist Anusha Rizvi, Peepli Live is about farmer suicides in the country and talks about how the media and politicians handle the issue.
I don't think it was a great movie, but such is the flawed concept of Oscars that movie may or may not be great but it has to be "Oscar Types"
ReplyDeleteEven though i have seen few movies only, i think PL is a pretty good choice.
ReplyDeleteSeems like this is the kind of thing the Western audiences like to see about India - suffering India, NOT shining India. So Peepli could well be a great choice.
ReplyDeleteBut honestly, Pardesi, there haven't been too many good movies released this year at least in BW. And out of whatever has been been released, PL is probably the best bet out there.
ReplyDeleteThere was talk of Udaan and Tere Bin Laden, I never saw those, but my favorite this year was Ishqiya - I loved the film.
ReplyDeleteI think the only thing the Academy would have any interest in seeing from India is poverty porn or the Independence struggle. Those are the only things they know or have a slight interest in so this choice is as good as it gets. Even still, it will never make it to the actual nominations.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why the Indian media even bothers publicizing so much what movie is being sent when it amounts to a whole lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Oscars focus on moving human interest stories and Peepli Live was the best one in Hindi Cinema. Do not generalize that Oscars sees India as poverty porn or struggle for independence. It's just that overly melodramatic do not do well with Western audiences and BW produces overly melodramtic movies all the time. Since 40-50% of India's 1.2 billion people live in poverty, what is wrong with recognizing a good movie telling a good story about this truth?
ReplyDeleteAnusha Rizvi doesn't sound too thrilled with Aamir. Not that it's any surprise....
ReplyDeleteI wish the film hadn't been pushed as a comedy
And neither does her husband...
ReplyDeleteI didn't deliberately choose to keep a low profile. My producers thought I was arrogant. I don't think I am.
According to a 2005 World Bank estimate, 42% of India falls below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_India
India's GDP is also among the highest in the world, off-shoring is moving jobs to India, and the intelligentsia is better read and informed than anywhere else. So why is that not worth showcasing?
ReplyDelete^^I'm not sure what you mean. Anyone can showcase whatever they want but that doesn't necessarily mean the Academy would be interested. Just like they tend to tilt towards biopics and movies about gays from Hollywood, I think they also are interested in only very few topics from India.
ReplyDeleteEven in HW, there are movies already denoted "Oscar bait" before they even come out just due to the subject. Povery for Indian films is one of those subjects IMO. I don't think a movie denoting the rise of the middle class in India, no matter how well made, is going to get anywhere near an Oscar nomination.
My response was to doga and Bluemay...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNia,Pardesi, i think some movies have already been made about outsourcing etc.
ReplyDeleteIf we go by that parameter China should be a Developed country(as they have world class cities,airports, 2nd largest Highway system in the world and so on).
ReplyDeleteBut China is still considered a Developing country.
Per-Capita and Poverty line are very important parameters and probably more than total GDP and % of growth of GDP, as it underlines the real development happening in an country.
I agree Doga. My point was just that even if you made a spectacular movie about certain subjects, it would not get Academy approval. It's about making what they like and based on past history, you can guess what type of subjects. It's NOT necessarily about the best movie made. A lot of great films even in HW go unrecognized because they don't fall into what topics the Oscars drool over.
ReplyDeleteOne hurdle is cleared just by sending a poverty pic.
Also Mainstream USA(and perphaps the Developed west) i think is well aware of the prosperity happening in India and also the Intelligence etc as can we seeing a lot in the cartoon strips, cartoon shows or TV shows as well as in economic sections of Newspapers.
ReplyDeleteYes i don't think there is anything like Best Movie, its more like being in the right place at the right time.
ReplyDeleteAlso as always there is very tiny chance Peepli will be even shortlisted.
Infact as in awards, after all Oscars are also just that(and am sure they keep making supposed wrong choices as thought by many) but they do provide some extra International Mileage an star/actor is looking for, which is the only differentiating factor compared to Indian Awards.
Interestingly, right now rather than thinking about the Academy we should think about the Govt committee from India who sent it to oscars as its their responsibility to select a movie out of many hundreds of Hindi and other regional movies to send as an official entry to Oscars.
ReplyDeleteHas their mindset also been changed as the Oscar Judges?
Or did they see it fit for a Movie like Peepli to be showcased in-front of the world audience/critics(however small it is).
I agree that a movie can showcase any class and any topic in India but to be an Oscar contender, it needs to be a compelling story and well made. Lots of movies (HW and international) get overlooked because they simply do not have the money to launch a media blitz during Oscar season. "Oscar bait" movies also include movies with big name stars and directors...first bait of the this season is "The Town" ---yet another shoot'em movie about the rough side of Boston. Yawn.... Most movies released September through December are Oscar bait. The studios purposefully plan their release dates for this.
ReplyDeleteFYI: I'm in Chicago so my responses are delayed since I'm 12 hours behind India.
After reading those interviews with Anusha Rizvi and her husband, I'm thinking Aamir Khan is a jerk. I wonder if he will even invite her to Los Angeles for the Oscars. Kudos to her for being honest about everything. I hope she continues to make films because she is a good storyteller. Maybe Anurag Kashyap can produce her next film. They share a desire to tell interesting stories.
ReplyDelete"I'm thinking Aamir Khan is a jerk. "
ReplyDeleteMay be. But atleast he is not public in his grievance. He took dhobi cast crew to Toronto and Peepli Live crew to Sundance. It seems they have problem with the way movie was promoted. But then it is his money which is at stake. And a person can take only some much of criticism at end of day.
“Am very happy that Peepli Live has been chosen to represent India at the Oscars. My congratulations to Anusha and the entire team. It’s always a great honour to get to represent your country on a world platform and I would like to thank the Film Federation of India for considering the film worthy,” said Khan.
http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=17025
ps: Personlly I could not connect to Peepli Live. Though the movie was good in parts and milieu.
Again - my comment was about the Academy members and how far behind they are in what they think is worthy of notice. It is always some "burning" issue - much like the Nobel awards in literature or even the Peace prize. It has nothing much to do quality per se.
ReplyDeleteBluemay, I have a feeling launching a big campaign for a foreign film might actually work against it. I think the Academy likes the thrill of thinking they plucked out an unknown gem to celebrate. I remember SRK saying during Paheli promotions that people were shocked he was staying at the Ritz (thinking Indian actors cannot afford it) and that even the For Your Consideration ads hadn't really been done before. Perhaps they have but I don't think it's with any great frequency.
ReplyDeleteI think it's much more about getting the right people to go the screenings and watching the films. Many times they don't even bother watching them.
FYI, Udaan just won Best Film at the Houston Film Festival. I think it has won something prior to this as well but I can't remember what. Personally I think it makes greater sense to go for a movie which already finding some Western acceptance but who knows how the selection committee works.
Btw, is there a way to find out WHO are on the panel that pick the movie? I was shocked once when they showed the 12 jury members that selected the recipients of trophies at the Screen Awards. There were random B-movie type directors, costume people, etc. Imagine if other juries were also like this.
"much like the Nobel awards in literature or even the Peace prize. It has nothing much to do quality per se. "
ReplyDeleteThat is true when you are trying to choose best from creamiest. I know some of the times Oscar doesn't choose best but there are hype and other factors like having not won Academy or what color your skin is. But having said that average quality of movies nominated is far better.
ps - I for one liked Udaan more than Peepli Live. But I recommended it to people who then cursed me for showing boring movie :)
I think Oscar juries like to see sick and poor India helped by white folks, just as much as we Indians love to see VFX oriented HW movies.
ReplyDeleteSince we do not get those movies from BW< we switch over to HW, similarly, HW has plenty of Udaans, MNIKs, CDIs and even TZPs, so Peepli Live I bet is the best shot.
Yes, the concept is flawed. When an award show has a pattern, and chooses the winner from a pattern rather than picking out the best, it is flawed. Thats why people are able to produce Oscar specific movies, and even predict what will be Oscar runners before even seeing them.
About west's perception of India, well, they have always seen us as a sick, poor 5th world country, and they are not ready to change their perception. Now thanks to CWG, we are corrupt as well.
One movie which has a sure shot at Oscars is a movie based on Mother Teressa. think about is, sick, hungry, poor India helped by a white lady.... god knows why no one is making that.
^^You think most of the BW producers and directors have any brains or ability to think along those lines? Haha.
ReplyDeleteIt will def. be made by someone like Danny Boyle and all awards will be heaped on it.
@Khanabadosh,I agree that as producer Aamir Khan can market the film as he likes, it's his money, but most producers and directors are not on opposite ends of the spectrum like these two. Also, my perspective is clouded because in interviews he does with American Desi shows (aimed at NRIs), he comes off extremely arrogant.
ReplyDelete@Kunal, interesting point about a Mother Teresa movie. I'm surprised no one has made one but lots of movie people stay away from religious subject matter for fear of controversy...here in the states anyway. Yes, the Oscar process is flawed. Lots of good movies are overlooked because they just don't have the money to compete with the big studio marketing campaigns.
@Nia, Sorry, I should have been more clear. It's the HW studios who engage in huge marketing campaigns for their big budget movies during awards season. Yes, I agree a marketing campaign for foreign films would not work, mainly because there are far fewer voters eligible to vote for that category. The Oscar academy has about 6,000 members but not all get to vote in all categories. For foreign film, it's about 600 members who watch all the 60 or so nominated films. Their votes select the shortlist of 5 that get the official nomination. Then, all 6,000 members get to vote on the shortlist.
I'm happy that Udaan is winning awards at festivals. (Looks like a better movie than Peepli). I'm super excited that it's on Netflix and the streaming version is coming soon. Thanks god UTV has a deal with Netflix to stream movies, it's the fastest way for me to see some recent indian movies.
@ KB - udaan is boring infact i dont know what movie is actually . is it a coming of age movie ? than the guy just ran away with his brother and having no idea what will happen next so it basically ends at where it start .
ReplyDeletebut still it miles better than Peepli live which is a sick way to telling about farmer suicide . infact its hardly about farmer suicide but more about exaggerating Media . i read somewhere Rizhvi saying its not funny film and people shouldnot laugh on it . so when a film has just not shown what director wanted too how can it be a good film ?
and i agree with Nia jury for selection of National awards/oscar nomination is a joke - once i read director of red swastik as jury member .
Damn! I love this guy. I agree with everything Sanjay Singh said. He has cajones! It's about time someone got a pair and spoke the truth.
ReplyDeleteFighting on Oscar selection is a passe now.
ReplyDeleteI agree that India's best should be sent to any award function, as a national entry. But then what about chances of winning? Oscars have a mindset and they seem to award movies which fall in those parameters, and Peepli is one such movie. Not only that, but also have to compete in the category, which means not just the quality of the movie should be good, but producers have to have deep pockets as well. Its an expensive affair to compete in Oscars, I bet small time producers can not afford without the backing of a giant production house.
So, because of these issues, I think selection of Peepli is justified, thought I do think that Oscars itaelf is flawed.