‘OUR FILMS AREN’T JUST SONG AND DANCE’

Filmmaker Karan Johar says there is a “new narrative in Indian cinema” that needs to be “positioned in the right format”

Last month, Karan Johar was invited as a cultural leader to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland (he was invited last year as well). This time, the filmmaker led an Indian delegation to the prestigious Berlin Film Festival. “Things have been good but I have been travelling a lot – from Berlin to Dubai, and now I am back home,” says Karan, as he talks about Indian cinema, completing two decades in Bollywood, and his next directorial venture.

How was it leading the Indian delegation at Berlin Film Festival?

I was very proud. Besides me, there were members from CII (Confederation Of Indian Industry), I&B (Information and Broadcast) Ministry, and filmmakers such as Shaji Karun and Jahnu Barua as well. Apart from that, actor Bhumi [Pednekar], who represented new-age cinema was also there. The idea was to increase the possibilities of collaborations and coproductions with Europe and the world, and announce that we’ll have a big contingent for Cannes [Film Festival] this year. The impact of our cinema has been huge in Germany and the rest of Europe. So, the idea was to communicate that we, as an industry, are open to business. The aim is to project India as a big destination for them to shoot at.

But do you agree that it’s a prestigious honour?

I’ve always said that I never take my achievements to these places. I represent Indian cinema. Be it being a cultural leader at Davos or leading the delegation in Berlin and may be [going to] Cannes now, it’s about discussing our cinema and its new narrative. I wish there were more filmmakers, who would actually take time out and represent Indian cinema on the global map because there our films have great content. But we tend to be very insular about ourselves.

Talking of such global film festivals, you have always maintained that there is a global misconception about Indian cinema…

In general, outside India, people know us as Bollywood. I might debate the usage of the term, ‘Bollywood’ but it’s here to stay. However, we are more than just a ‘song and dance filmmaking nation’ that we are perceived as in the global arena. We have made stunning films such as The Lunchbox (2013) that have broken through in a huge way. Every year, we churn out what I call, a ‘silent hero’ or ‘unsung films’. But those films are not spoken about. Sometimes, when I am asked, ‘Oh, is Bollywood more than just dancing around trees?, I say, ‘Who dances around trees anymore?’ There is a new narrative in Indian cinema but we need to position it in the right format and in the right way. I am glad that the I&B ministry has been proactive in positioning that.

Do you think it’s high time that our cinema gets taken as seriously as French or Italian cinema?

I think in time, we will, and the world will know that there has been an absolutely new evolution in Indian cinema.