Could any one recognize the lead players that enacted different roles in Dibakar Banerjee's LOVE SEX AUR DHOKHA? Not really, but even then the film was liked by all and sundry who viewed it in the major cities of the country. Taking another leaf forward, Balaji Films has decided to issue the DVDs and VCDs of LOVE SEX AUR DHOKHA within a fortnight of the release of film in the cinema halls, with the obvious idea to let whole of the country watch this iconic film, as the chances of it being exhibited in small cities in cinema halls could be rather feeble.
Welcome to the new age of Indian cinema where content is the king and it sells the film and not the star power that draws the initial crowd to the box office, as it is the wont with majority of Hindi films. It is the director also who commands the audience and not the stars, as it also happened with THANKS MAA where real life slum kids were taken to bring about reality in cinema.
It is an aspect of cinema making that was lacking from Hindi films for want of its appearance on a regular basis, and which gives a certain edge to cinematic oeuvre of the films. This aspect is known as ensemble films, and if one were to go into history the first ensemble film of Hindi cinema could be DO AANKHEIN BARAH HAATH. In the era of color cinema the name of GARAM HAWA could be included as the milestone ensemble film, while if reference point is only last twenty years or so, then definitely SALAAM BOMBAY could be accorded the status of cult ensemble film in the cinematic history.
Refreshingly enough, directors like Dibakar Banerjee and Kamal are moving away from the list of actors who are normally available and are casting there net far and wide all over India to bring about real performance on to the cinema screen, adding an element of reality into it.
With the costs of the films hitting roof and a large portion of the costs going towards paying fees to main actors and actresses, advent of ensemble films could emerge as the panacea for the film industry that is looking to increase the number of hits in a financial year. When the cost of making a film comes down, it always becomes easy to recoup the investments at a much faster pace.
Those who used to come with dreams in their eyes to Mumbai could have hope now that there talent may get recognition in their own cities. Once it starts happening on a large scale it would lead to real democratization of Hindi cinema.
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