By Santosh Kher
Regional entertainment industries are not a new phenomenon in India. The diverse languages and cultures in our country have given birth to many language entertainment industries over the years. Alongside the mainstream Hindi ‘Bollywood’ industry and English content, regional industries enjoyed attention in particular regions and language speaking audiences.
Regional content has given us gems over the years. They have been globally and nationally acclaimed for their strong substance. These stories have been adopted and translated into other languages, and even received popular “Bollywood” remakes, proving the richness of their content. The point of contention here is, why didn’t regional cinema or content not gain pan-India popularity as mainstream media? Language limitations are a possible cause, but they are not a compelling one.
Most regional industries have had restrained ambitions for decades. They enjoyed acclaim and modest fame, but have remained away from the spotlight. Recently, this has undergone significant change. More and more filmmakers are demanding mainstream attention for their projects. There is talent eager to work and make a name from these stories. The shyness and reticence have given way to enterprising and determined producers and makers who are not satisfied with small-scale impact. A prime example is the rise of the South Indian film industry.
Most of this can be attributed to the growth of the OTT space, especially during the pandemic when viewers binged on content in any language. As a result, the need for regional content increased, giving those involved in the industry hope. With the demand higher than ever today, are regional productions capable to compete with mainstream projects?
There is no denying the fact that content is instrumental to success, but the treatment of a project has to be equally on par. Sub-standard or mediocre treatment will not make the cut. Producers will need to realise that the production value of their content can inspire the confidence of viewers, industry insiders and outsiders. When a producer increases the production value of a project, it shows that they are betting high on the project and thus audiences have every right to be excited about its release.
Producers need to understand production value does not only depend on budgets. They do have a significant impact on quality, but that is only one factor. Based on the concept and story idea, producers should be open to experimenting with reason. Think of this. You have a great scene, but it falls flat because of bad lighting or editing! With viewers consuming global content daily, a piece of content cannot afford to slip in front of them. Visually and content-wise, they demand the best of the best.
If a regional film is aiming for pan-India appeal it cannot afford to stick with a closed circle’s appreciation. They need to create a project worth talking about. In this situation, working and investing with great talent is crucial and one of the core needs. While the fundamentals can be perfected, it is crucial to empower this talent to be able to see the bigger picture. Building a strong competent pool of technicians and performers, cross-selecting and working alongside other industries and giving fresh talent a chance are all good measures one can opt for when creating a great production. A regional player can benefit from outside industry backing and investors that are interested in funding more projects with industry talent.
It should be our purpose to be judged solely on our capabilities, with less attention paid to differences in regions or languages.
The author is founder, Creative Viibe.