Imtiaz Ali shares his thoughts on whether Indian film industry still looks for “validation” from the West

Mumbai Sep 27 (IANS) Imtiaz Ali’s “Amar Singh Chamkila” musical biopic on the life of Punjabi folk legend has bagged two nominations at the International Emmy Awards, putting Indian cinema once again on the global map.

While the recognition has been welcomed with pride, Ali has addressed the larger question – does the Indian film industry still seek validation from the West, and does colonial influence still exist?

Responding to the debate, Ali admitted that while international acclaim is encouraging, the true validation lies closer to home.

In a conversation with IANS, Imtiaz Ali said, “I don’t know whether it’s colonial. I think that international recognition is always special for any country. For us also, international recognition is a unique and important thing, but it’s not the first thing we speak about at all. The people that we have made the film for are first Indian, and so the recognition with them is of severe and great importance to us. If it is now recognised internationally also, if it gives us a chance to represent the country among other countries, then that is “sone pe suhaga” (icing on the cake).”

Monika Shergill, Vice President of Content at Netflix India, echoed Imtiaz Ali’s sentiment. Comparing it to the pride of sports, she said, “It’s like sports; you want to win when you go to a tournament because you are representing your country. So I think it’s basically that. And I must add that my colleagues from across the markets really want their stories, their shows, and their movies to succeed in India. That’s the joy of it when you see the stories from your country and your culture travel anywhere and entertain more people.”

With Chamkila’s nomination, the story of an artist who defined the Punjab grassroots music scene in the 1980s has now reached an international stage. For Ali, however, while awards matter, the heart of filmmaking remains in striking a chord with the Indian audiences first.

–IANS

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