Changing audience taste reflected in new Bollywood plots

Recent films such as "Phas Gaye Re Obama," "Do Dooni Chaar", "Tere Bin Laden" and "Udaan" have brought fresh ideas and new talent to Bollywood, at a time when biggies in the industry are busy with sequels and remakes of older hit films.

"There are a lot of stories that need to be told by our film industry. Sadly, there is very less time spent on developing a good script in Hindi films," says Subhash Kapoor, who directed the surprise hit "Phas Gaye Re Obama" last year.

"This year there is already a good number of sequels and remakes lined up so it is a very good time for people who have fresh ideas to present before the audience. New writers have enthusiasm and freshness," says Kapoor, who spent a year researching for his script.

2011 already looks like an year for sequels with as many as five expected to hit the theatres including "Race 2", "Dhoom 3", "Wanted 2", "Partner 2" and "Don 2".
While Hrithik Roshan would play the lead in remake of 1990 Amitabh Bachchan starrer

"Agneepath", stars like Salman Khan and John Abraham would act in remakes of some hit films from down south.

Alankrita Srivastava, who directed the Gul Panang starrer "Turning 30", also says she feels scripting does not get the due attention in Hindi films.

"Hindi films do not give much attention to scripts as done so in foreign films. It is important to strengthen the script on paper to make a better film," she says.

Debutante director Habib Faisal, who directed the Rishi-Neetu Kapoor starrer "Do Dooni Chaar" says,"a good and entertaining story which connects with the audience will be a success."

Faisal centres his film around a lower-middle class Delhi-based family headed by a school teacher. His characters face the day  to day problems encountered by millions of Indians and their mannerisms find an instant connection with the audience.

He also wrote another sleeper hit, "Band Baaja Baraat" which again tickles the middle-class sensibilities of the audience.

A change in storytelling is also underway in television serials with the regular "saas-bahu" stories giving way to fresh ideas like honour killing and child marriage.

"Even though potboilers still have their audience but senseless potboilers are being rejected. Mainstream Bollywood will realise it soon and encourage good scripts," says Kapoor.

Kapoor says he was surprised by the Box Office collections of his film.

"I knew I had a good story but I did not expect my film to run houseful on a weekend. It was a pleasant surprise and shows the readiness of people to appreciate new ideas," he says.

However, being a newcomer in the film industry has its own share of problems as "connections" and "references" play an important role for getting the first project.

"Things are better than before for new directors now but its a bit difficult to find work without connections," says Alankrita.

Kapoor agrees, "It's difficult if you do not have links. The industry is biased towards insiders. But I entered with positivity and confidence in my script."

"Earlier, people used to say that a poor man going to watch a film does not want to see his problems on the screen. But now, the middle class is more confident about watching characters similar to them," says Faisal.