Bollywood does not represent real India: S Asian filmmakers

New Delhi, Oct 29 (UNI) 'Forever Happy' families basking in the "feeling of togetherness' in their 'luxurious mansions' in far away London or New York; or 'deeply-in-love couples singing in breathtaking locales in Switzerland or Norway...

These omnipresent images of Bollywood may draw huge crowds to the cinema halls at home as well as abroad in several foreign countries but South Asian filmmakers feel that these portrayals are far removed from the actual realities on the ground level.

''The real India is not what one sees in Bollywood films, most of which portray images of happy families basking in feeling of togetherness in their luxurious mansions in London, New York or Australia. Infact, most Bollywood films reflect a sanitised image of Indian society far removed from the ground realities - the real problems, dreams and aspirations of the general Indian,''Bhutanese filmmaker Dorji Wangchuk said during an interactive session on "Bollywood: a Threat or an Opportunity" during the ongoing South Asian film festival in the capital.

Speaking at the session, where filmmakers from many South Asian countries including Tarique Masood, Tauqir Ahmed and Abu Sayeed from Bangladesh, Tshering Gyelishen from Bhutan, besides many filmmakers from Nepal and Sri Lanka were present, Wangchuk said,''While there is no doubt that Bollywood films are doing a brilliant job of entertaining people in the subcontinent which is evident from their huge popularity among the millions of people in South Asia, there is, at the same time, a need to also bring people face-to-face with the ground realities - the real issue confronting society as well as the real problems needing their urgent attention.'' In this context, he said, festivals like the present would go a long way in spreading greater film literacy among the population which would help the audience understand the reality of society in a better manner.

He hailed the emergence of a new crop of filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali ('Black'), Farhan Akhtar ('Dil Chahta Hai' and 'Lakshya') and Rakeysh Mehra ('Rang De Basanti') who, he felt were making films which were more representative of the modern emerging India.

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