Waiting to exhale

B-town is bustling with a whole new league of first time directors who are in the process of making contemporary films.
Their works combine deep understanding, indelible imagery, shots of humour, and finely written explorations of difficult subjects. Their ideas and execution are waiting to create sensations in the nation.
Direction could have been a natural progression for many first timers who have taken their creative passion of ad filmmaking or scripting/screenplay to the next level by donning the director���s hat.Like Indrajit Nattoji, who directed ad films or Rensil D'Silva and Neeraj Pathak who were writers before turning feature film directors.
Films by first timers have faired very well in the past and garnered rave reviews and profits. One possible reason could be risk-taking abilities of the newer and bolder players. Rajkumar Gupta of Aamir fame in agreement, ���Risk-taking has worked well for us in 2008 and I hope the trend continues. New film-makers also bring freshness of ideas and perspectives with them.���
Neeraj Pandey, who marked his directorial debut with A Wednesday gives all the credit to the script. ���It all starts with a good script. Filming is about story telling. You have to look at the best possible way to convey it effectively,��� he says. Commenting on the flux of first time directors in the fraternity says, ���It���s a combination of factors like mushrooming of multiplexes, audiences appreciating newer stories and production houses showing interest in different stories.��� Debutante Zoya Akhtar resonates similar thoughts: ���This influx is fantastic. In a way, corporatisation of Bollywood has catalysed new talent to express their creative passion.���
Talking about support from production houses, Vikas Bahl, COO of a leading production house says, ���We as a company are open to new comers proving their mettle that they can deliver.��� And what according to him do the first time film-makers bring to the sets? ���Debutant directors are team players. The entire team contributes to taking the film to the next level. They are full of fresh perspectives and passion is the key.��� Is there a co-relation between experimental films, debutant directors and small budget flicks? He clears the air: ���Not necessarily. We want our films to be value for money. Prem Soni���s directorial debut has Salman and Kareena and is a big budget film. We just want to tell new stories.���
Not yet released in the Indian market, Nandita Das��� directorial debut has already won umpteen international awards. For her, filmmaking has been an overwhelming experience. She writes on her website, ���I think I became a writer and director by default and instinct. The journey of making Firaaq gave me the opportunity to express my concerns and beliefs, and in many ways, was a cathartic experience."
Adds actor Tisca Chopra in her praise, ���I was pleasantly surprised by Nandita���s aesthetics, they were exceedingly good. She seemed very professional and clear about what she wanted. The energy of new filmmakers is very raw and their attitude is that of ���how can we make this better���. This feeling lends itself into a beautiful cinematic experience���
Let the show begin!