The Globalisation of Bollywood: Mark, Set, and Go!

Titled “Globalisation of Indian Cinema: Opportunities for the West,” this by-invitation-only event was hosted by CIGB in partnership with Screen East and the North Screen Partnership, Blood Orange Media and the Cambridge Film Trust. 

More than 50 people, primarily practitioners from the UK and European film industry, attended the event, which took place on September 19, 2009.
 

The event drew an impressive list of guest speakers including leading experts in the field, such as Anupam Kher (pictured right), the acclaimed international actor and global entrepreneur; Patrick von Sychowski, COO, AdLabs, a Reliance Big Entertainment Company; Parminder Vir OBE, Executive Producer and Media Consultant; Partho Sen-Gupta, an independent film director; and Simone Ahuja, Principal, Blood Orange Media, and Film Director.

In their talks and panel discussions, the speakers explored how the Indian film industry is going global, its various engagements with Western players and its long-term goals.

All the speakers agreed that the timing now is ideal for the Indian film industry to engage with the West, as the rapid growth of the Indian economy has created an affluent and savvy middle class seeking to watch world-class movies and well-funded producers like Reliance Big Entertainment who are being courted by cash-strapped Hollywood studios.

Bollywood icon Anupam Kher asserted that this is the “golden age” of the Indian film industry, as it gains more in self-confidence and prepares to engage the Western world on its own terms.

Commenting on his firm’s $1 billion plan to co-develop and co-produce movies with Hollywood heavy hitters like Steven Spielberg, Patrick von Sychowski of Reliance Big Entertainment explained that his company is one among others that are attempting to develop a success formula that combines the professionalism of the West and the creative talent of the East to systematically produce cross-border films like Slumdog Millionaire that captivate a global audience.

Parminder Vir OBE explained that the Indian cinema which for decades had operated as a parochial cottage industry is finally becoming more professional and its players are acquiring a global mindset as they internationalise their operations.

She boldly predicted that over the next decade, the Indian film industry would have a global socio-economic impact akin to what the Indian IT outsourcing industry achieved in the 2000s. She noted that Western partners like US and European studios stand to profit handsomely from the globalisation of Indian cinema.
 

But not everything will be hunky-dory as East meets West in the global creative economy. In a panel discussion titled “How to Build and Orchestrate Transnational Creative Networks?” and moderated by Judge Business School Professor Jaideep Prabhu, the speakers addressed key business, legal, and social-cultural issues that could make or break cross-border co-production deals.

They noted that while Chinese movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon have achieved huge international success, the Indian film industry has yet to produce a global blockbuster (Slumdog Millionaire being more an exception than the rule). But everyone agreed that it’s a matter of years (if not months) before India starts producing a steady stream of world-class movies that leverage win-win creative partnerships with the West.

The day was capped off by a screening of the Indo-French film Hava Aney Dey (Let the Wind Blow), followed by a Q&A with its director Partho Sen-Gupta conducted by Simone Ahuja, Principal, Blood Orange Media. Thereafter, attendees were treated to a Bollywood-themed cocktail reception followed by a scrumptious dinner prepared by celebrity chef Reza Mahammad, a rising star on Channel 4 and UKTV.

Summarizing the event, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, Dean of Judge Business School said: “After this event, I have become convinced that the Indian film industry is poised to play a bigger role in the global creative economy.

"India possesses a wealth of talent and resources, the audience has become more demanding and that leads to better products, and the Indian moviemaking industry has become more professionalized.

"Anupam Kher told us that it had evolved from a close-knit brotherhood to a professional group. But Anupam was also right in stressing that making a good movie is all based on a good script, tolerance for flexibility and a sense of enjoyment.

"I came to the symposium with some apprehension about Indian movies, but Anupam’s passion has convinced me to go and see some of them.”