`NFDC has to strike a balance between artistic and commercial cinema’

I am also exploring the possibility of taking cinemas with less seating capacity — say 300 seats — on lease or tie-up with distributors who are interested in showing such films. For all these proposals, the board’s sanction is needed, and I hope to carry the board with me. Perhaps, the NFDC could approach state governments to enourage multiplexes by giving incentives. NFDC can also join hands with multiplexes if possible so that NFDC films could be released in smaller cinemas.

But does NFDC have enough money to carry out its production, distribution and exhibition activities?
I think so. Even if we don’t, we have to learn how to multiply the existing capital of Rs 14 crore. Since the Indian Banks Association (IBA) had handed in its report on the feasibility of bank finance for production, distribution and exhibition, I’m sure banks will not hesitate to fund our projects.

Will the artistic versus commercial debate influence the production of films at NFDC?
Since I have only recently taken over NFDC, it is premature to spell out the future course of action. With no budgetary support from the government, NFDC has to operate out of its funds to strike a balance by producing commercially self-sustaining films without forgetting its developmental role. I would like the NFDC to make films that would not bring recognition not only to India but also internationally. I am not averse to commercial films, but I don’t believe in making films for the sake of money. Films have to be socially significant and if they can bring both recognition and money, it helps the corporation fund artistic films. We may go for even foreign collaboration as we had done in the past with Gandhi.

But the NFDC already has a huge library of films, many of which haven’t seen the light of day despite the fact that the fact that NFDC has its own distribution set-up for domestic and imported films.
I agree that the NFDC lacks marketing. If a proper marketing strategy were to be adopted, there would not have been such a backlong of unreleased and unsold films. I plan to put proposals before the board to strengthen the marketing section. And soon, the names of other board members will be announced.

When will Dr Jabbar Patel’s Ambedkar be released? The Central and the Maharashtra state governments have given their green signal to NFDC to sell the film long ago?
We have almost finished negotiating with a distributor who will release the film all over India in seven languages. No doubt, it has taken a while to hunt for a proper distributor for the film, but it has been now finalised.

Since the Ministry of Social Welfare had pumped Rs 7 crore and the Maharashtra government Rs 1.75 crore into the making of the film, why did NFDC have to give Rs 70 lakh?
I DO not know what happened before I took over NFDC to comment on the compulsions in funding the Ambedkar film. But we have struck a good deal with a distributor whose name I do not want to disclose at the moment. We will ensure that the film is released with a proper marketing strategy and media hype in place, since we have to safeguard the financial interests of the Central and state governemnts.

Have you drawn up your future plans?
I am in frequent contact with the section of the film industry to which I belong, and I would be holding meetings with industry representatives to gauge their level of aspirations about the NFDC. Only after that would a policy be evolved to make NFDC a nodal agency between the government and the film industry.