Festival showcasing works of News Age filmmakers ends

New Delhi, Apr 16 (UNI) At a time when 'New Age films like 'Rang De Basanti', 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' and 'Omkara have endeared themselves to audiences at home and abroad, the Capital played host to a festival showcasing such films, reflecting sensibilities different from the mainstream'' yet turning out to be box office successes.

''Young minds of Indian cinema'', a festival presenting the work of filmmakers who have succeeded in creating a cinema which is closer to reality and commercially viable at the same time, came to a close in the Capital last night with the screening of Rahul Dholakia's 'Parzania', made in the backdrop of the Gujarat riots.

Showcased at the two-day film festival, which got underway at the Capital's Siri Fort auditorium on Saturday evening with the screening of Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Traffic Signal', were works by Madhur Bhandarkar, Vishal Bhardwaj, and Rahul Dholakia, three filmmakers who truly represent the new wave of .'New Age Cinema' in India with their cinematic works which have successfully bridged the gap between the so-called art and mainstream cinema.

Organised by the Indian film Institute, the film festival also hosted the screening of Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Omkara' last evening.

Addressing mediapersons at the closing of the film festival, filmmaker Rahul Dholakia said,''the film festival by the Indian film institute is a laudable step in that it provides a platform for filmmakers like me making films with sensibilities "different from the mainstream".'' Responding to criticism from some quarters that films like 'Parzania' made on a communally sensitive issue incited communal passions, Rahul said,''films do not arouse communal passions.

Rather, it is their aim just to show the reality as it is.'' Asked about his future projects, he said he was working on two films - while one was in the backdrop of Kashmir, the other was a thriller.

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