UTV foray in 'New Age' films with Vishal Bhardwaj's 'The Blue Umbre'

New Delhi, Nov 27: The 'new age' cinema bandwagon rolls on! With films like 'Iqbal', 'Rang De Basanti', 'Dor', 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' and 'Lage Raho Munnabhai', having unconventional themes and 'different-from-mainstream' cinematic treatment, making their mark at the box office, an increasing number of producers in Bollywood are today coming forward with the financial backing to help such films reach the theatres.

After Subhash Ghai's Mukta Arts and Shah Rukh Khan's Dreamz Unlimited, which has been promoting experimental cinema over the last few years by launching separate oufits, film production house UTV Motion pictures has also announced the launch of a new branch which will, in the coming year, promote experimental and unconventional films in a big way by making these cinematic ventures available to a wider audience.

Marking the foray of UTV Classics, the sub-brand of UTV Motion Pictures that would promote experimental and unconventional cinema making it accessible to a broader audience, will be Vishal Bhardwaj's new venture titled 'The New Umbrella.

Set to release in theaters across the country on January 5 next year, the new venture by Vishal Bhardwaj, who won rave reviews and well as overwhelming response to his films 'Maqbool' and the recent 'Omkara', is based on a Ruskin Bond novel by the same name.

'The Blue Umbrella', which features accomplished actor Pankaj Kapur and child actor Shreya Sharma, aims at adding a new dimension to today's genre of kids' films by combining entertainment with a morality tale.

The film has already received tremendous acclaim in the international circuit, after having being screened at some of the top-notch film festivals abroad.

Speaking about UTV's new production outfit, the company's CEO Ronnie Screwvala said the launch of UTV Classics was part of their endeavour to back 'New age' ventures by young filmmakers that ''dare to break the mould while at the same time also provide entertainment to the cinegoers''.

''The entertainment tastes of a section of the audience are maturing with time and UTV Classics is an initiative to address the needs of this growing audience for different cinema. 2006 has been proof of this, with unconventional movies that have broken the mould and which have been applauded by audiences and critics alike,'' Mr Screwvala said.

It is notable in this regard that some of UTV's production ventures released earlier this year like 'Rang De Basanti' and 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' have been hugely successful at the box office despite their unconventional themes and offbeat treatment. Like his previous ventures 'Maqbool' and 'Omkara', which drew inspiration from the works of famous litterateur William Shakespeare, 'The Blue Umbrella' too is based on the works of famous Indian author Ruskin Bond.

True to the works of Ruskin Bond, the film is set against the backdrop of an idyllic tranquil village in the scenic valleys of Himachal Pradesh. The film's heart and soul is the unsurpassed Pankaj Kapur, who plays Nandkishore, a shrewd shopkeeper.

Nandu, whose character is symbolic of the 'common man', gets enchanted by a beautiful, embellished mystical blue umbrella owned by Biniya, a small girl played by Shreya Sharma. The striking umbrella becomes the centre of attraction, disturbing the otherwise serene and peaceful ambience of the village.

The story takes an abrupt turn when the umbrella goes missing one fine day. And thus begins the quest for the umbrella, leading the two central characters into an unanticipated world of wisdom and knowledge.

The umbrella, which has deftly been kept in the foreground by the director, symbolizes every human emotion from love to longing, from desire to greed.

Recent years have seen many producers like Subhash Ghai and Shahrukh Khan coming forward to support films from the stable of 'New age' cinema by launching separate production outfits.

Among the ventures produced by Ghai's Mukta Searchlight in the last few years have been 'Joggers Park' and 'Iqbal' while Dreamz Unlimited has produced films like 'Asoka', 'Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani' and 'Paheli'.

In recent years, Yashraj films have also ventured into the arena of 'unconventional' films with the forthcoming 'Kabul Express'.

UNI