Changing audience taste reflected in new Bollywood plots

New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) Buoyed by the success of theirmuch appreciated films, a new breed of directors who areexperimenting with a variety of plots and subjects say thatthe new ideas coming out of Bollywood point towards changingtaste of the Indian audience.

Recent films such as "Phas Gaye Re Obama," "Do DooniChaar", "Tere Bin Laden" and "Udaan" have brought fresh ideasand new talent to Bollywood, at a time when biggies in theindustry are busy with sequels and remakes of older hit films.

"There are a lot of stories that need to be told byour film industry. Sadly, there is very less time spent ondeveloping a good script in Hindi films," says Subhash Kapoor,who directed the surprise hit "Phas Gaye Re Obama" last year.

"This year there is already a good number of sequelsand remakes lined up so it is a very good time for people whohave fresh ideas to present before the audience. New writershave enthusiasm and freshness," says Kapoor, who spent a yearresearching for his script.

2011 already looks like an year for sequels with asmany as five expected to hit the theatres including "Race 2","Dhoom 3", "Wanted 2", "Partner 2" and "Don 2".

While Hrithik Roshan would play the lead in remake of1990 Amitabh Bachchan starrer "Agneepath", stars like SalmanKhan and John Abraham would act in remakes of some hit filmsfrom down south.

Alankrita Srivastava, who directed the Gul Panangstarrer "Turning 30", also says she feels scripting does notget the due attention in Hindi films.

"Hindi films do not give much attention to scripts asdone so in foreign films. It is important to strengthen thescript on paper to make a better film," she says.

Debutante director Habib Faisal, who directed theRishi-Neetu Kapoor starrer "Do Dooni Chaar" says,"a good andentertaining story which connects with the audience will be asuccess."

Faisal centres his film around a lower-middle classDelhi-based family headed by a school teacher. His charactersface the day to day problems encountered by millions ofIndians and their mannerisms find an instant connection withthe audience.

He also wrote another sleeper hit, "Band Baaja Baraat"which again tickles the middle-class sensibilities of theaudience.

"Earlier, people used to say that a poor man going towatch a film does not want to see his problems on the screen.

But now, the middle class is more confident about watchingcharacters similar to them," says Faisal. .

A change in storytelling is also underway in television serials with the regular "saas-bahu" stories givingway to fresh ideas like honour killing and child marriage.

"Even though potboilers still have their audience butsenseless potboilers are being rejected. Mainstream Bollywoodwill realise it soon and encourage good scripts," says Kapoor.

Kapoor says he was surprised by the Box Officecollections of his film.

"I knew I had a good story but I did not expect myfilm to run houseful on a weekend. It was a pleasant surpriseand shows the readiness of people to appreciate new ideas," hesays.

However, being a newcomer in the film industry has itsown share of problems as "connections" and "references" playan important role for getting the first project.

"Things are better than before for new directors nowbut its a bit difficult to find work without connections,"says Alankrita.

Kapoor agrees, "It''s difficult if you do not havelinks. The industry is biased towards insiders. But I enteredwith positivity and confidence in my script." PTI RKM ANS