There are many good directors and producers in India who are able to produce good quality movies. Though I must be frank in that I am not really a fan of Bollywood, with those awful, repetitive, irrelevant songs. Not a fan of the predicted plots, and same/similar story lines which can be well guessed in the first five minutes.
The worst crime of all in Bollywood is the implantation of subliminal Western messages without viewing them through the Indian prism of reason, logic, angle, and interest. Whose interests do they really serve?
If I do watch Bollywood it is mainly little bits on Youtube, to pass the time, and the nostalgia and loss of not being able to visit South Asia in a safe environment, with 5-star hotels being prime targets in at least two major South Asian countries.
I understand Aamir Khan tries hard to get his projects for nomination into the Oscars. Why? Approval from peer groups? We all seek approval, it is part of human nature as we are social beings. We seek approval from our parents as children, their attention and unconditional love. As we get older, we seek the approval of our friends, or our colleagues and so forth.
There is inherently nothing wrong in this pursuit, it is natural. However sometimes in the fervent pursuit of seeking "approval" as cinematic professionals, this may compromise true artistic creativity and quality in the context of cinema. A lazy false excuse to produce mediocre rehashes of yester years, and cheap copies of foreign films. So as a creative young director, I am offering Aamir and others some risky projects that they might consider:
1.I understand that Brahmins are under considerable pressure in Indian society, as a result of the "modernization" of Indian society, especially in the North. I would like to see a movie made about a young Brahmin with hopes and aspirations from a village in UP moving to the big city, Delhi? And follow his trials and tribulations as he attempts to make a life for himself in the big bad city, facing many challenges, the harshness and dirt of Indian city life, the humor, the sadness, the poverty, the inequality, the lawlessness, rapid modernization, corruption and contradictions, competitiveness, and the speed of urban life.............related to this young individual in his twenties or even early thirties.
The message of the film being that even though he faces many challenges, he does not lose his self dignity, and the fundamental Indian values as a Brahmin. That in the process of adjusting to urban life in India, he loses a lot of the illusions and naivety of youth, with the dreams, but that he continues to struggle for himself and his family back at the village with his fundamental morals and motives intact................that the challenges he faces in the big city are pedestrian, and not "Hero meets under world Don, and wins against under world Don and the girl of his dreams". An array of characters with interesting dialogue drawn to the big city from all parts of India......Assamese, Bongs, Gujratis, Marathi, yes Sikhs, the current flavor of the month......Tamil Nadu and so forth.
The challenge being, no songs, no dances and not a lot of romance. I appreciate the vast majority of Indians go to movies for "Escape value", but if Aamir and others can provide "Escape value" through creative art that is original and different, then I think he will mark himself as a true director. If he can tell a good story through excellent dialogue, written by the millions of writers from India, and realistic plots. Using unknown actors.
2.Has a film bio been done of Nehru? Important Indian leader, following his early years as a privileged upper middle class individual sent to Bilaat for his education, coming back to India, joining Congress politics, the political intrigues, the fact that he lived in his fathers shadow for a while trying to create his won identity, his radicalization in the 1920's, into 1930 and 1940......his affair with Lady Mountbatten (risky subject, but challenging nah?) The Independence, problems of independence.........1950's as PM, world statesman, and into his final years.
Again an unknown actor would be good to use to make it believable. Maybe you can start with the movie with him recollecting from old age his life....and so forth. No songs please---though the possibility of Nehru singing in full flow, with Gandhiji, whilst being attacked by the Raj is interesting.
The possibilities for the project are enormous, and can be used as a political vehicle to promote what it is that was good about the ideals and character of the original independence struggle leaders of India.................Vallabhai Patel, Azad and so forth. His relationship with Gandhi, and with Indira Gandhi so forth. Of what they went through for India and its people, in contrast to the gangster laden, corrupted "politicians" of today. Historical advisers from a couple of universities, and biographers should be undertaken of course, BUT the approval of the Nehru family being not necessary for all or any part of the project.
3.I am aware that films have been made by Bollywood portraying the Indian army and even the airforce (Aradhana 1969). What I am not aware of is whether there has been any movies portraying the Indian navy.
Again using unknown actors, without songs can you portray the life of an Indian naval officer, middle ranking not high or low, going through life as an officer in the navy, fighting pirates.........intriguing subject and very true (pirates are very active around Indian waters) tracking and combatting smugglers, and maybe if you have the budget a full naval engagement with the mythical enemy, involving aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, destroyers and so forth (No hints or suggestions that its Pakistan please, absolutely not). The Indian navy should be fully cooperative to advertise its wares, in such a project, as long as you offer a realistic idea with serious scenario's over pop ones.
The hero, hales from Kerala, faces the problems and challenges of pursuing his career in the navy over the wishes of his parents who wanted him to be..............The fact that his university friends make huge amounts of money in the private sector, compared to his modest government salary, about which they remind him regularly...........the sacrifices he has to make for his country; the conflict of interest when gangsters ask him to do private work.................so forth. The Indian navy clearly has recruitment advertisements, but the project should not be a pure "glorified version" of a Indian navy recruitment project (Top Gun----Tom Cruise). Beyond the fact that it shines a light on the work of the Indian navy, there should also be a separate credible non-navy strong narrative also which engages and interests the audience, males and females alike.
4.The most controversial project of all, but perhaps the most pertinent to current Indian politics. A realistic political thriller.
Historical background: I am not sure how well versed you are in "alternative history", but it is a hugely interesting subject matter on its own for ordinary people like me, to be told about a well known historical event in a different way, in an alternative way, but also of course as a subject matter for cinema. Hollywood has covered this area excellently especially since the 1970's.
(i) There are strong allegations that the Rothschild of London organized the Young Turks movement of 1908, to break up the country and facilitate the creation of Israel (current American policy in the Middle East), which led to the Ottomans Empires disastrous participation in WW I, and the destruction of the country into many parts as conceived in the Treaty of Sevres (1920). 25% of the ethnic Turkish population dying in futile meaningless military campaigns, and civil war. The Rothschilds installed through their agents in the empire Doenmeh Jews into power, who portrayed themselves as ultra Turkish nationalists, waving the flag etc, wanting to make the country "great" through Pan-Turanism....which is not a good idea if a sizable section of your population is not ethnic Turkish. They massacred 1.5 million Armenians in the name of Pan-Turanism and 'security' and war necessity. But as many modern Turkish historical writers have noted, though rhetorically they vehemently stated that they had the best interests of Turks, in reality they did a lot of harm to the nation and people subsequently. But the point is with a little foreign backing, organization, foreign backing through your military, flag waving with promises, a small clique can usurp power in any country, if the democratic checks and balances are not in place.
(ii) Imperial Russia: 1918, same as Ottoman Turkey except that this time the Jews funded the Bolshevik revolution. 60 million died 1918--1991, war and much oppression, never heard of in Russian history; worse than the Mongol and Tartar invasion and subjugation. The old ruling class is completely destroyed.
(iii) Italy 1923: allegation that the Rothschilds funded the fascist revolution in the country under Mussolini. The train runs on time, and their is superficial improvements, but the country is embroiled in perpetual foreign engagements in East Africa, Spain and enters WW II on Germany's side. Military disaster, war and eventual occupation.
(iv) Germany 1933-1945: Rumor is that the Jewish bankers funded and directed the Nazi party for a variety of agendas. Extreme nationalism with a dictatorship government which provides jobs and patriotism. 10 million Germans die in WW II. The country is totally destroyed, and occupied by foreign forces and divided.
(v) Iran 1979: Rumor is that outside forces, the same ones as before install the mullahs in the country, who offer Islamic Shia nationalism to ordinary Iranians. Thousands of elite people from the Shah era are executed (mainly military officers), a civil war with left wing elements resulting in 100,000 dead in the early eighties; a 8 year war, with 1,000,000 dead against Iraq; destruction of parts of the South of the country, due to war; severe political repression in Iran.............tens of thousands of political prisoners executed, in 1988 ALONE 30,000 in mass excutions; 5 million educated Indians emigrate out of the country; drugs abuse addiction epidemics supported by mullahs to 'manage' the 70% youth that make up the country's population........corruption, mismanagement, and isolation for the country.
Please read the previous post to get a flavor of what I am talking about.
So in the above 5 examples you have the backing of right wing, left wing, Islamic political EXTREMISTS in 5 major countries where the foreign backed extremist groups initially promise the earth to their people, but who through their extremist agenda bring nothing but death and destruction for their country, in the name of serving their country.
In a movie scenario for India you could have a RAW officer following the activities of foreign entities supporting extremist groups in India (Hindu GROUPS), and their criminal activities, including drugs trafficking, gangsterism and general criminality..........controlling local business with unofficial taxes, and regulations beyond state law (operating as a state within a state), and their attempts at usurping power nationally in India.
You have fellow RAW officers selling themselves to the foreign entities, or lured by the extremists policies of the far right group, or moonlighting for private businesses such as "Tabani Global", and his lone battle against such people..........the possibilities are enormous, and is relevant to India politics at this particular juncture.
How the agent moves around the country from Nepal tracking Naxal activities, to Sri Lanka, to Orissa, Mizoram and many other locations most Indian audiences don't get to see beyond the usual places such as Kashmir/Mumbai. Meeting people from all walks of life from the various regions...........I am sure there are various ex-officers who would like to tell ALL anonymously, great exciting stories, so you can get many good sources. But not in a James Bond way, which is purely fictional, where the audience are sure that this is a fiction. Portraying the paranoia, stress of the profession.....who can he trust? Maybe show the strains of personal life.....marriage...family, and so forth, working to expose the fraud of the extremist groups in India.
All I am requesting is that as a director don't serve the usual "Dahl roti' of Bollywood fare, with the same cliche lines, plots and songs to get foreign approval, and that as a director challenge the subject matter of traditional Bollywood productions. India has many directors who have the capacity to do it. Mr. Ambani and many others have shown an interest in financing good quality, authentic Indian movies.
I appreciate you work in a very tough environment, where Western/ISI backed under world gangsters like Ibrahim Dawood still influence Bollywood production, as do the Siv Sena (Hindu Mafia) in their home turf. Or that Jewish and Western influences have some baring on production content, but the increasingly sophisticated Indian cinema goers deserve something new and different that challenges and entertains them in their country.
That out of the 1000 plus projects undertaken each year in India, new interesting ideas can be incorporated into production...and not merely another serving of worthless sedatives to quieten and placate the Indian masses from their everyday state of misery and poverty. Whilst 800 million of them might be in that state, being served with the usual sedatives rubbish of songs, dances, romance, suggestive sex, and simple good verses evil narratives; there are now another increasingly growing number of 300 million Middle class Indians who as sophisticated well informed consumers deserve something better than the usual mediocre rubbish. That this audience don't turn to Hollywood and other sources of entertainment because Bollywood can't meet the challenge of the 21st century.
