Bollywood’s Not the Only Masala Spicing Up Indian Cinema By Chetna Purohit There was no flashy red carpet entrance, or anxious paparazzi hyper-clicking their cameras away. And it wasn’t on the nightly edition of “Access Hollywood” or “Entertainment Tonight.” Yet this lack of colossal media attention did not take away from the blockbuster effects of the first annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) at the ArcLight Cinemas from April 23-27. The Opening Night Gala included a screening of Aparna Sen’s “Mr. And Mrs. Iyer” presented by lead actor Rahul Bose (also director of “Everybody Says I’m Fine”) who delivered a gracious introduction recognizing Sen’s prominent role among contemporary Indian filmmakers. Sen’s film has been credited for capturing “the humanity that surfaces during extreme conditions, where life and death decisions are made in an instant, forbidden emotions surface, and the protector becomes the protected.” Other filmmakers that attended the festival included Ismail Merchant of “The Mystic Masseur,” Safina Uberoi of “My Mother India,” Satish Menon of “Bhavum,” and Nagesh Kukunoor of “3 Walls.” Following the conclusion of “The Mystic Masseur,” which was based on Nobel Prize winner V.S. Naipaul’s comic novel, Merchant autographed copies of his new memoir “My Passage from India: A Filmmaker’s Journey from Bollywood to Hollywood” for enthusiastic fans. The festival embraced a myriad of 24 recently produced films, selected to appeal to a variety of tastes. “We wanted to have films that represented all the different categories,” said IFFLA Director Christina Marouda. “That’s why there is a Bollywood movie and films from South India, some made by Indian filmmakers in the U.S. or the U.K., others by non-Indian filmmakers.” From shorts like “A Very, Very Silent Film,” a 6-minute production about the prostitution plaguing India that was also the first Indian short to win at Cannes, to big-budget Bollywood blockbusters like “Company,” IFFLA offered a delicious dish to satisfy every craving. Six films showcased in this year’s festival witnessed a packed house with sold out screenings for: “Mr. And Mrs. Iyer,” “Kandukondain Kandukondain,” “Everybody Says I’m Fine!” “Company,” “The Terrorist,” and “A Tale of A Naughty Girl.” But the real thrill for me was seeing Anand Patwardhan’s disturbing documentary “War and Peace.” Patwardhan’s success as a filmmaker lies in his ability to act as a voice for the underdog; for those silenced individuals who don’t have a say or choice, and thus are shackled to their hapless existences. “War and Peace,” which was ironically banned in democratic India due to its controversial content, documents the price that countries pay for being a nuclear power. Scene after scene, Patwardhan subtly proclaims the Indian government’s hypocrisy of justifying their nuclear tests for the goal of peace. The price for such “righteous” peace proves deathly expensive as Patwardhan exposes the number of impoverished Indians who shoulder the burden of cost. Physical and mental deformity, the destruction of progress made by slowly advancing villages and death are the consequential results of nuclear tests and plants. Further puzzling, a point which Patwardhan slowly yet effectively unravels, is how the Indian and Pakistani governments can morally justify spending billions and billions on nuclear weapons when the well being of their people should be their prime concern. Yet both governments seem more preoccupied with gaining worldly approbation by proving their nuclear muscle to the big boys of the international playground. Visiting village after village, Patwardhan echoes the argument that many opponents of nuclear proliferation claim: that available funds should be dispersed toward improving the living standards of their people; the literacy rate, health care, and overall poverty of suffering communities. Films like “War and Peace” were not the only far from frivolous sources at this year’s IFFLA. On April 26, independent director and producer Rana Joy Glickman moderated an IFFLA symposium titled “Indian Cinema in Hollywood: To Be or Not To Be?” She was joined by a distinguished guest panel including, Arjoe Entertainment founder and producer Arya Bhattacherjee, Fine Line Features’ distribution executive Steven Friedlander and other IFFLA guest directors. Those who attended were given expert advice on producing, distributing and marketing Indian-themed films for the U.S. and participated in a lively Q&A with panelists. A gala screening of illustrious director Mani Ratnam’s “Peck on the Cheek” concluded this festival’s cinematic debut. While telling the tale of a young girl’s harrowing journey to find her birthmother, Ratnam poignantly depicts with stark realism the current ethnic crisis occurring in Sri Lanka. The film captured viewers’ hearts as well as IFFLA’S Audience Choice Award for Best Feature. Other films that walked away from this year’s IFFLA with the bragging rights of being an Audience Choice Winner were Michael Vo’s animated short “Lights for Gita” for Best Short Film and Pan Nalin’s “Ayurveda – The Art of Being” for Best Documentary. With attendance totaling over 10,000 throughout the five-day festival, the IFFLA reaffirmed audiences’ enthusiasm for Indian cinema, and already has organizers generating plans for the festival to return to ArcLight next year. Marouda said, “We were thrilled to host such a remarkable turnout by guest filmmakers and audiences. Their participation affirms our belief that an extensive and enthusiastic audience exists for Indian film in Los Angeles. Our success this year creates a solid foundation to launch the second edition of the IFFLA in April 2004.” The films were undoubtedly a success, but more importantly this festival should be accredited for what it symbolizes. The congregation and organization of this year’s IFFLA set in the neighborhood of the megalithic studios of Hollywood, clarified once and for all that Indian cinema is no longer a frivolous and lighthearted pass time, characterized by the over-commercialized and stereotyped spectacles of Bollywood. As affirmed by Rahul Bose, “I think this festival will show that there is more to Indian cinema than Bollywood.” One of the primary criticisms facing Indian films is that the numerous song and dance numbers trivialize a medium that could potentially be used to transform the political and social plight of India by fostering awareness of clandestine conditions. The response by many Bollywood promoters is that they are using the magic of film to transport audiences from their ordinary, bleak lives to a trouble-free utopia, where they can be lost in the mystic of harmonious melodies and mesmerizing choreography. Although this role of film as an escape mechanism remains crucial, we must not overlook its more pivotal force for generating action as exemplified by such films as “War and Peace.” Marouda was confident that this festival would serve as a nice introduction for those reluctant to explore Indian cinema because they equate it to Bollywood productions that value glitzy style over substantial content. “Bollywood is considered to be directly related to Indian cinema, but that’s not really the truth,” said Marouda. “The marketing comes through Bombay, and that’s Bollywood, and so that becomes the main focus of Indian cinema. They have come to international attention because they have the right names, the money behind the marketing and (because) people are entertained by them. But too many films are produced, and a very small percentage is of high quality.” This year’s Indian film fest took precedence in beginning to breakdown Indian cinema stereotypes. After all, the spicy signature style of Bollywood masala is only one ingredient of Indian cinema’s rich curry.