“Our audience was imposed with completely different values”: Karen Mirzoyan on Indian cinema in Russia and the destruction of stereotypes

- In Russian cinemas, instead of blockbusters, new Indian films began to be released more often.

According to your observations, do they arouse great interest among viewers accustomed to Hollywood cinema?

- While more often they still come out with subtitles.

Those that go in full dubbing, arouse quite a lot of interest.

Of course, it is still incomparable (with Hollywood projects. -

), because there is no such marketing as Hollywood movies, but they collect well if they are dubbed.

With subtitles, they go more for the audience speaking the original language.

- In the case of an ideal set of circumstances, I mean advertising, interesting films, what percentage of the loss can Indian films compensate for in the Russian box office?

- If we talk about dubbing, Indian films will close 40-50 percent, and maybe more.

The fact is that cinema is fundamentally different, and it is quite competitive with the same Hollywood.

It just takes time for the viewer to get used to the new content, and the stereotypes change to reality.

- On what basis do you choose from all new Indian films those that are suitable for Russian distribution?

“We have a fairly similar mentality of the viewer, and, in general, as such, Indian cinema has always been in demand, simply because it was not on large screens, it was consumed on various pirate sites.

When we choose a project, we are guided by the fact that it is not a deeply specific film.

In India, not only Bollywood - there is a South Indian factory, it often shoots films that are based on local traditions, customs, ethnic cinema, we exclude it.

We choose adapted versions.

- Just about the popularity of Indian films in the USSR.

They provided large fees and eventually became cult (“Zita and Gita”, “Revenge and the Law”, “Disco Dancer”).

In your opinion, are there films in modern Bollywood that can claim the same success?

- There are films that today collect $ 75 million a day, plus they are not even produced in Bollywood, but in Tollywood (in Telugu -

.).

These are films like RRR, which outperformed Batman in a day of worldwide release.

So absolutely, yes.

• Frame from the movie RRR

• © kinopoisk.ru

— Why did Indian cinema, popular in the USSR, disappear from Russian distribution for a long time?

- Because the Russian audience was retrained to watch other films for a long time.

And it wasn't just in the movies, it was in everything.

Completely different values ​​were imposed on our viewers, the age limit changed very much.

For example, what is presented as “14+” in Hollywood is “18+” in Bollywood.

— Are there any Bollywood actors who are especially popular with the Russian audience?

Those whose participation will be a reason for the viewer to go to the cinema?

- Of course.

There is Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, there are young actors like Barun Sobti.

We have been holding film festivals for more than seven years now, bringing young actors who participated in only one film.

And I can tell you from the crowdedness of the fan zone - this is at the level of the arrival of big Hollywood stars.

From all over the country people come to see a person, to take pictures.

Plus, fans have a different approach to it.

If Danny DeVito came to Russia, people just came and watched him run down the red carpet.

If Sridevi Kapoor came, then people came with unique gifts, gathered in big fan clubs.

Here the approach is a little different, it even looks like Indian - they are more than actors.

Hollywood doesn't treat actors like that. 

How are actors treated in India?

- I'm not afraid to say this - as to some kind of religious leader.

In India, in all seriousness, an actor can go out onto the balcony in the morning, wave his hand like the Pope, counting on the fact that under his balcony there will be a crowd that has gathered in advance and is waiting for him to come out.

It's more than respect.

This is a veneration, a cult.

- Indian films have always had an emphasis more on music and dance accompaniment.

Is it still the same dominant detail now, or has the angle changed? 

- It all depends on the genre.

If it's a historical film about some commander or sultan, there may not be dancing.

In general, dancing is the identity of the Indian people.

However, they have changed a lot over the years, as has the cinema and its budget.

Now the dance is a real choreographic show with music.

This is a fundamentally different level.

If earlier it was in every film, now the dances fit very harmoniously into the picture.

- And what genres are most loved by the Indians themselves?

What is filmed more often?

“It cannot be said that they shoot something more often when the country produces more than a thousand pictures a year, that is, more than three pictures a day.

Accordingly, there are films in all genres.

Of course, if we look at the preferences of India itself, then these are light, romantic pictures.

Comedies come in very well, where unconditional good triumphs over unconditional evil.

In Russia, according to our observations, viewers prefer historical films, action films, good dramas.

For example, at the festival we showed the film "Mom" - this is a very serious, adult and dramatic movie.

• Shot from the film "Mom", starring Sridevi

• © Zee Studios

— Many Russians still have a stereotypical idea of ​​Indian cinema, although the quality of films has improved markedly.

Are you doing something to dispel stereotypes among viewers?

“Only we are doing something for this.

We hold festivals where we show at least seven films, mostly released this year.

Sometimes we even organize world premieres.

We have moved the tectonic plate of stereotypes quite well.

There is no longer an opinion that Indian cinema is only Zita and Gita.

The viewer now, having watched a trailer or a poster for some Indian film, may not even immediately understand that he is Indian.

These paintings often receive quite prestigious world awards.

There are films that are purely Indian, there are joint works of India with Great Britain, with the USA.

For several years now, for the majority of viewers in Russia, such an actor as Dev Patel (“Slumdog Millionaire”, “The Legend of the Green Knight”) has been known.

Slowly, the outlook is changing.

And if before there was a prejudiced attitude, and the audience could not change it, today everything is different.

The viewer comes to the cinema and sees that he has few alternatives.

Someone immediately understands that they will watch a good movie, someone goes to the picture because they have no other choice, but the vast majority comes out positively and with an unexpected reaction.

- To the question of joint production.

The films of the USSR and India - for example, "Journey Beyond Three Seas" - have become classics of cinema.

The founder of the Indian Film Festival, your partner Tasin Nazim, said that the ministries of culture of Russia and India have signed a co-production agreement, and now our countries will again be able to make films together.

What projects can be expected?

— These will be modern projects.

Here you need to find a golden mean.

After all, I want this picture to receive a large number of its viewers both in Russia and in India.

To do this, you need to choose a topic that will be relevant, a director who will make it interesting for both viewers.

Currently, four projects are being developed, which are planned to be implemented jointly by Russia and India.

- If it's not a secret, when can one of the projects be expected?

— I think the first project will be next year. 

– Indian cinema gets into the program of the Cannes Film Festival, this year Bollywood star Deepika Padukone was on the jury.

Do you expect that now Indian films will be more often selected for the program of the Moscow International Film Festival?

“Not only do I expect, I know it.

The fact is that two years ago we opened the Moscow Film Festival with the film Bahubali.

And this year there will be, in my opinion, four films by one Indian director.

We already communicate with the Moscow Festival, they also communicate with us - this has become an annual tradition.

In my opinion, this is the fourth festival in which Indian cinema is present.

Even when there were no prohibitions and restrictions, these films received quite high awards.

• Shot from the film "Baahubali: The Beginning"

• © Arka Mediaworks

- Recently, Nikita Mikhalkov announced that work has begun on the creation of the Eurasian Film Academy.

What opportunities, in your opinion, will this give for the popularization of Indian cinema in Russia and vice versa?

- I think this is a very good step, this is a kind of alternative to the academy in which our cinema was chosen on the basis of some political views, and not its creative content.

An alternative film academy will be able to view a movie from a different perspective than the director of the movie.

We are also putting some effort into this: we bring not only Indian cinema to Russia, but also Russian cinema to India.

And this is not easy, because India has certain specifics, even Hollywood companies, such as Sony and 20th Century Studios, understood that they would not cover the Indian market with the distribution of American films, so they were forced to open their representative office there and invest their money in the production of Indian films. .

— Which of the latest Russian projects did you bring to India?

- We took the “Crew”, “Anna Karenina” there.

- And how did the Indian audience rate the paintings?

- I voted in rubles, and I think that I voted well.

The fact is that in India getting on the screens of cinemas is not the same as in Russia.

When so many films are released a year, then the cinema begins to choose.

We can dictate the terms of the world majors.

In India, the opposite is true: you need to negotiate with the cinema, and sometimes even pay.

However, we made our way to the Indian screens and had a fairly high attendance.

For a foreign translated film that is not congenial (although close in mentality), I think it was a good experience, and we will continue to do so.

- Previously, the stars of Indian cinema came to the USSR to present their projects.

Why is it not now?

Can Indian movie buffs hope for the arrival of Aishwarya Rai or Shah Rukh Khan?

Aishwarya is a Hollywood star these days and the arrival of Shah Rukh Khan can be counted on.

Moreover, we have been bringing at least one person for six years now.

We brought a lot of artists here and will continue to do so.

From August 11 to 14, India Day will be held, timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of friendship between Russia and India.

At this festival, we will show four films, three of which are new, and one is the legendary Disco Dancer.

Now we are negotiating with Mithun Chakraborty, who really wants to come to Russia, but so far the question is open due to problems with his health.

Also on russian.rt.com Graces from the banks of the Ganges

— And what will be included in the program of the Indian Film Festival this year?

- As for the traditional festival, it will be held at the end of November, in December, and the one that will take place in the summer includes various events - there will be a fair of Indian products, a show program, and a movie.

— Do you plan to cooperate with video services and release Indian series?

- Yes, we are already doing this, we are communicating with video services, in the near future the big pictures of RRR and KGF ("Gold Mines of Kolar." -

) will be released on the two largest sites.

And we are in talks about the series, we have the rights to certain projects.

• Shot from the film "My name is Khan"

• © kinopoisk.ru

Do you have any favorite Indian films?

I have been answering this question the same way for five years now.

I have the most favorite Indian film, and what's more, it became my favorite before I knew it was Indian.

The picture is called "My Name is Khan" - an amazing movie that has received many awards.

Besides, "Mama" is a good project, "Bajirao and Mastani" is also a cool movie.

Well, I invite everyone to the cinemas to watch the film "Rocketman".

This is the story of how the Soviet Union helped an Indian engineer create a rocket.

- And why did you choose this particular niche - Indian cinema?

Now there are no companies in the country that would purposefully distribute Korean or Chinese films, although the products of these countries are also popular in our country.

- Speaking about the popular products of these countries, we are most likely talking about the "Squid Game".

- Korean and Chinese dramas also have a lot of fans in Russia.

Why did we choose this path for ourselves?

Because personally, I consider Korean cinema to be among the films that, like our cinema, have long been focused on copying Hollywood.

And this is also a stereotype.

In some Hollywood movie, it seems normal to us that the hero killed 16 people with one hand.

When we see this in Indian cinema, we laugh at it.

In my opinion, one should not strive to copy the popular, one should strive to ensure that the viewer comes to the good.

The Indians are not guided by anyone, they make their own cinema, and this cinema is very close to those films that were released in Russia before.

I am convinced that with this content we will be able to support our cinemas and ensure that Russian cinema also becomes original again.

We are already close to it.