Bollywood to dole out experimental films in 2011

If last year was anything to go by, then films releasing in the year 2011 will also be more about fresh, experimental concepts made on a small budget. Films like Peepli Live, Tere Bin Laden, Phas Gaya Re Obama, Love Sex and Dhoka were made on a shoestring budget but have found an audience and some amount of critical acclaim at the box-office as well.

Filmmaker Onir, who is known for his experimental cinema is gearing up to release his next film, I Am. Onir has co-produced his film with a couple of actors and due to paucity of funds, even urged his fans on facebook to help him complete his film. “Last year audience celebrated content cinema. it’s been encouraging for filmmakers like me. Hopefully we’ll see more such films with good concepts in the coming years,” he says.

Rightly so with Anand Rai’s mid-budget, Tanu Weds Manu and Sudhir Mishra’s Yeh Saali Zindagi getting rave reviews and opening to favourable response. Coming up next is Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Teen Thay Bhai and Ekta Kapoor’s Ragini MMS.

Film maker Milan Luthria too thinks that there is a sudden surge in the number of film makers dabbling with small to mid budget films. “A lot of young talent finds access to big stars impossible. Yet they often have better stories to tell and a fresher approach than the multi starrers. Their passion and the limitations the industry imposes on them forces them to break through with small budgets. Watch out, they are always the dark horses who overtake the giants!”  

Says filmmaker Rajat Barmecha, “Every filmmaker now a days , new or established, is trying to make a film with with a fresh concept as they know that without it,  no matter however big, the film will not work.”