Which Indian film is worth it?

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -3"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="32.8%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/520147.cms" alt="/photo/520147.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta in </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Koi Mil Gaya</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">Rakesh Roshan would have loved to send his <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Koi...Mil Gaya</span> for the Oscars. With the 76th Annual Academy Awards to be announced on February 29, the maker of what is arguably Bollywood''s first attempt at science fiction is sure that his ET would have cast its <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">jadoo </span>on the jury. <br /><br />"Unfortunately, the Film Federation of India (FFI) didn''t find any film worth sending to the Oscars," he says dismissively. "They were looking for something that''s ethnic Indian. I find that argument ridiculous. We should be sending a film that''s progressive and showcases what we are capable of." <br /><br />While some may snigger at Roshan''s remarks, there is an interesting argument buried in the rubble of past controversies over what''s the ideal film for the Oscars. <br /><br />"Bollywood is a brand for the West," explains Gulshan Grover, who''s done several international films. "Our films are identified with songs and dances, with emotion, family values and sacrifice. Out there, people like Goldie Hawn call them the ''Bollywood music video'' and talk about how much they love them. That''s what we are good at, rather than offbeat, plot-driven cinema that comes from other countries. That''s also what the West expects from us." <br /><br />Gulshan points to <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Crouching Tiger</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hidden Dragon</span>. "Chinese films are identified with period dramas and martial arts," he elaborates. "And that''s how it was projected in the West. Shorn of all its hype, it could have been easily ridiculed for having people resorting to sword fights in mid-air. If somebody had told me that he''s making a film like this and sending it to the Oscars, I might have felt like slapping him. But that''s the Chinese brand and the West loved it." <br /><br />However, Karan Johar points out that in such instances the name behind the film matters. "Let''s not forget that <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Crouching Tiger </span>was made by Ang Lee, who''s already a respected name in the Hollywood with films like Sense And Sensibility to his credit. If some Ching Chong Foo had made it, nobody would have bothered." <br /><br /><formid=367815><br /><br /><br /></formid=367815></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -3"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="32.1%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <br /></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan in </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">For Karan, the ideal Oscar-entry would be one that plays on the strengths of Indian <br />cinema and made at a a very high standard. "<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Lagaan</span> has opened the door for us," he says. "Among the films I made, I would have picked <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham </span>simply because it embodied everything Indian. But by virtue of its story and the history behind it, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Devdas </span>would have been a better choice." <br /><br /><br /><formid=367815><br /><br /><br /></formid=367815></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -3"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="32.8%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <br /></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Konkona Sen and Rahul Bose in </span><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Mr and Mrs Iyer</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">But for Govind Nihalani, it''s not a matter of Bollywood''s brand value. "We should carefully study the kind of films that get appreciated at the Oscars," he says, "and send our entry accordingly. I wonder if <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Mr and Mrs Iyer </span>would have been an ideal choice." <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -3"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="46.2%" /> <col width="53.7%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="46.2%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <br /></td> <td width="53.7%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Rakesh Roshan</span><br />We should send a progressive film that showcases what we''re capable of. </div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="46.2%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <br /></td> <td width="53.7%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Gulshan Grover</span><br />The West expects songs and dances from our films, that’s what we''re good at.<span style="" font-weight:="" bold=""> </span></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="46.2%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/520148.cms" alt="/photo/520148.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> <td width="53.7%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Karan Johar</span><br />I would have picked <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham </span>because it embodied everything Indian.</div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="46.2%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <br /></td> <td width="53.7%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" fbfbfb=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Govind Nihalani</span><br />I wonder if <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Mr and Mrs Iyer </span>would have been an ideal choice?</div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br /><formid=367815></formid=367815></div> </div>