Will festival screenings boost the BO success of Marathi films?

National award winning Marathi film 'Dhag' was chosen for special screenings at numerous film festivals in India and abroad, and went to pick multiple awards even before its theatrical release in Maharashtra.
Increasingly, filmmakers in the Marathi film industry feel the need to take their films on international platforms to create a buzz and recognition on a global platform.Director Shivaji Lotan Patil believes that film promotions require a lot of money in India, and festivals help to create awareness. Patil added, ���������We stretched our finances for Dhag and had no funds for publicity. But there has been no looking back since the film was screened at various film festivals. These events are a great way to promote movies provided they are strong on content and low on budget.���������
Similarly, National award winning film Anumatihas also been screened at festivals across the globe. Director Gajendra Ahire said, ���������I am keen to know if my work holds a standing in the international market.���������
And it���������s not just National award recognized films. Filmmakers across the board are screening their films at festivals to test the waters before a theatrical release closer home.
Director Rajiv Patil���������s 72 Miles ��������� Ek Pravas, produced by actor Akshay Kumar, was screened at the London Indian Film Festival recently. Ashvini Yardi, co-producer said, ���������We took our film to London because we wanted to make it available to the global audience and connect with the masses.���������
Speaking on the need of Marathi cinema collaborating with international talents, director Ajay Naik said, ���������Internationally there are people who are keen to associate with Marathi cinema and this helps us to take the first step. Also as Marathi cinema still depends on word-of-mouth publicity, we are hopful that post the festival screenings, the buzz created reach the right quarters in India.���������
Though filmmakers unanimously agree on the buzz factor to boost their ventures back home, they also believe that aggressive promotions are equally important. Ravi Jadhav who has directed Riteish Deshmukh���������s debut Marathi venture BP (Balak Palak) said, ���������The New York screening created hype for the film, both among movie buffs as well as critics. It did generate some good online reviews and blogs that helped in pulling crowds to the theatres. But although festivals are a good way of creating a buzz, the common marketing route to connect with the audiences in Maharashtra is equally important.���������