Yesterday I had a chance to attend screening of VV Chopra’s movie Eklavya and hear his interview and question-answers with him on UCLA campus. This was a great experience.
Mr Chopra is definitely a very different director than others. This movie is produced and directed so well that while watching the movie, I never thought that it was a Bollywood production — even though I new it is. Movie is directed, filmed, and produced very professionally. It does not devite from the theme and carefully presents the new message about ‘dharma’.
One of the most interesting thing that Vidhu Vinod Chopra said during interview that he makes movies to satisfy himself. He wants to be happy that he made the best that he could. Another interesting message that I got wa that he uses the basic model of entrepreneurship in his movies. He rewards people based on the success of the movie, rather than contracting them. He claimed that this results in allowing him to make movies at reasonable cost. And there are good actors who are willing to work under that model.
I hope that other movie makers in India learn somethings from him and make moview that are in that class. He is well aware of the problem. He mentioned that Indian audience has not appreciated that movie. In fact I was told that many Indians in USA also have made statements like who wants to see a movie in which Amitabh Bachchan plays the role of a security man. Maybe the taste of Bollywood people has become so bad that it will take long time for them to get out of total melodrama and overacting in a very poorly produced environment. But then everybody has right to enjoy what art they like.
For me, yesterday evening was one of the best evening that had a Bollywood movie a part of it. And I do hope that I see more such movies.
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Vidhu is technically a very accompished diretcor. But he and his movies lack ability to connect to people. Connecting to people is what differentiate a great director (or story teller) from a good one like Vidhu.
Maybe Vidhu is not able to connect with Bollywood audience because he is ‘too technical’ or ‘too sophisticated’ for Bollywood audience of today. Looking at the stories, direction, acting, and special effects in common Bollywood movies and other programs on ZeeTV, it is clear that there is no other direction but to improve. Hopefully Bollywood is going to grow rapidly and people like Vidhu V Chopra will be the leaders in this process.
In my humble opinion, the problem maybe the place where he is rather than the quality of his work.
Saw eklavya and 3 idiots today back to back, and I must say Vidhu excel in both the roles, be it of producer or director. Even when I see interviews conducted by his wife Anupama I experience sincere and cinema literate journalism.