IIFA show is 'Indian kitsch', not Indian culture

IIFA show is 'Indian kitsch', not Indian culture
Thursday, June 23, 2011 11:06 IST
By Santa Banta News Network
Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta has described the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards here this week as "Indian kitsch".

The three-day Bollywood show does not represent Indian culture, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker said here Tuesday.

"Bollywood is not Indian culture, it's pop culture. There's a big difference, " Mehta told the Canadian Press.

To describe the IIFA Awards as representation of Indian culture is just like calling teen pop sensation Justin Bieber a representative of Canadian culture, the "Water" director said.

Mehta, who herself was honoured at the 2007 IIFA Awards, said though she will attend the weekend ceremonies, she doubts whether the mega-show will enhance Bollywood's appeal in North America.

She said North America can hardly add much to Bollywood's bottom line.

"It's hardly relevant. Of course there's a (North American) audience but it's a very limited audience. It's an audience that really is comprised of Southeast Asians, " Mehta said.

Since IIFA organizers have been taking the show to the world's major cities each year to popularise Bollywood on the global stage, she said, "They are there for a purpose - they galvanize a nation for a period of time into really thinking about popular culture and that's fun. It's good, IIFA is what it is, which is pure entertainment but I think it's sort of dicey when you start thinking of it as something serious."

Wizcraft director Sabbas Joseph has described the Toronto IIFA Awards as "India's cinema's gateway to North America".

Major theatres and venues across Toronto and its surrounding Indian-dominated cities of Mississauga, Brampton, and Markham have been screening Bollywood films and shows since June 17 before the three-day extravaganza that will culminate in IIFA Awards at the city's Rogers Centre June 25.
From Comedy to Crime: Rajkummar Rao's Most Impressive Roles!

Rajkummar Rao has become one of Bollywood's most flexible actors, known for diving into all kinds of roles-from intense characters to hilarious ones. Here are

Friday, November 08, 2024
Prabhas extends his heartfelt welcome to debutants Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani for Azaad!

Abhishek Kapoor's Azaad has been grabbing all eyeballs for the right reasons. The big screen adventure introduces two young actors Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani in lead roles. The

Friday, November 08, 2024
Singham Again Smashes Box Office with Impressive Day 6 Collection!

The much-anticipated action-packed film Singham Again has set the box office on fire, showing no signs of slowing down. After an extraordinary first week, this Rohit Shetty directorial

Friday, November 08, 2024
Director Anubhav Sinha prefers Convenience over Subsidies!

The 11th India International Film Tourism Conclave (IIFTC) event had a panel discussion focused on enhancing the relationship between India's film industry and state

Friday, November 08, 2024
Vikrant Massey Meets His Idol on KBC 16: A Special Episode with Amitabh Bachchan and IPS Officer Manoj Kumar!

This Friday, get ready for an exciting and unforgettable episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 16 on Sony Entertainment Television! Hosted by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, the

Friday, November 08, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT