No child’s play

I completely agree that in our country, children’s films get a very step- motherly treatment. Primarily it stems from the fact that the economics don’t work when it comes to making a children’s film. How much can you spend on marketing a film which is made on a budget of say two- three crore? And the problem doesn’t end there. Getting a wide theatrical release for these movies is also an issue. A film-maker will be lucky to get 1000 screens for a kid’s film, because generally we get around 500-700 screens. Also, in the present scenario no studio is really willing to back a children’s film, which is the foremost reason why they have not evolved as a genre in Bollywood.
Then there’s the notion that a good kiddie flick should only have a child as a protagonist. But if we look at adult superheroes like Spiderman and Superman films, children are their biggest audience. Back home, a film enjoyed by children with an adult protagonist, has to be Mr India. And I am talking about purely what I thought about the film as a kid. I was really blown away then, and even today when I watch it, I realise that it has all the ingredients of a good entertainer meant for both kids and adults. Bhootnath Returns is another example of a film which had a star protagonist that catered to both kids and adults. When a children’s film is mounted on a larger scale, producers are willing to back it. Otherwise, you have to work on a shoe-string budget, and the austerity and cost-cutting shows on the screen thereby affecting the return on investment.
The notion that any film that has kids is a children’s film should also change. Masoom which had three lovely kids was not meant for children and my own film, Chillar Party despite having several kids was not really a hardcore children film. Basically, it’s about content, as children are very knowledgeable and love to watch a variety of themes. They look for adventure, as it is something that really excites them. And, if humour and action is added to it, you could have a really engaging kiddy flick.
I agree that fantasy films like Harry Potter can be a great theatrical experience for children, but they are expensive. If we try to make films like them, more often than not, we restrict ourselves to making VFX films. Compare them to beautiful soulful films like Home Alone, one of the best kiddie films and Majid Majidi’s simple Iranian family drama like Children Of Heaven. I also disagree that a children’s film should have a message in it. We could have a subtle message, like there was in Mr India, but it should not be the prime concern of the film-maker. Children get enough sermons in their classrooms.
Having said that, no one in Bollywood is serious about investing in a movie meant for children. I wish someone would take the risk and make a film they really believe in and promote and distribute it in the way it should be. It may fetch very good returns. But this can happen only when a kid’s film does astoundingly well. If today, we have films with diverse subjects and new story lines being made, with actors experimenting with their looks, it is because such films have been successful.
I hope that somebody changes the scenario and I hope to become the harbinger of change when it comes to children’s films.

As told to Geety Sahgal