'Indian parallel cinema has no takers'

kolkata: years after indian parallel cinema caught the fancy of international audiences, the country's young directors say their bid to go off the beaten track were being stymied by acute funds crunch. "it is a tragedy that new film-makers have to produce their own films in the absence of finances," malayalam journalist turned-film maker r sarath told mediapersons at the 7th kolkata film festival here yesterday.sarath, whose debut movie sayahnam (twilight) received the indira gandhi national award 2000 for the first best film by a director, said the trend of beginners promoting their own films had stifled many a creation in parallel cinema. "at least 40 parallel films were made during the last one year in kerala, but only four could see the light of the day. the rest, probably gems in their own merit, are lying in the darkroom," he said on the eve of the screening of his film in the indian panorama. sarath, who called sayahnam a silent cry against pokhran, urged that a statutory board should be constituted to promote parallel cinema considering their huge international market. film-maker fareeda mehta, whose movie kali salwar (the black salwar) featured in the panorama, said she had no immediate plan to shift from short films and documentaries to feature films as she did not find any 'good producer'.