‘South Asia a distinct cinematic entity’

Noted filmmaker Shyam Benegal feels that South Asia is a distinct cinematic entity. “Our films focus on societal and individual concerns. If we target a select audience, it amounts to circumscribing our own creative ability and impulse. Hence, there are no boundaries amongst ourselves. Our films highlight cultural specific cities,” Benegal said.

He was speaking during an interaction with filmmakers from South Asian countries at a seminar “dissolving boundaries” as part of the ongoing South Asian Film Festival (SAFF) on Saturday.

The South Asian countries have a lot in common in terms of culture and human emotions. “Even when we travel to each other’s countries, we do not feel that we have entered an alien land as we feel while travelling to Europe, US or any other country,” he said.

The filmmaker himself is in the process of scripting of an Indo-Sri Lanka joint production ‘Buddha’ which he will be directing.

Benegal said that just like Hollywood has a headstart over film industries across the globe in terms of finances and technical expertise, the Indian film industry has an upper hand in the South Asian region.

Economic Times