Oh, for some hard sell

FREEZE FRAME

This is the moment to take the big leap and promote Indian films overseas

There is unanimity that Indian entertainment is on its way to catering to a global market. The question is: how soon do we make it big internationally and how?

Over three billion people are estimated to consume our entertainment products worldwide. This should easily give us leadership position. Unfortunately, if we convert these numbers into dollars India is still a small player in the $ 1 trillion global media and entertainment business.

If we include films, TV, music, radio, publishing, sports, live entertainment et al, India's share is at best $ 5 billion. While there has been substantial growth in the recent past, we must capture a much larger and deserving share of the media and entertainment pie.

I have often said in these columns that the film industry's singular failure has been in marketing.

Satisfied with a large but oscillating domestic box office, Bollywood has been content to market its films to the south Asian diaspora abroad. Mom and pop shops continue to dominate the overseas market for Indian films.

The much talked about 'crossover' is still media myth. The personal triumphs of Mira Nair or Shekhar Kapur or, for that matter a "Lagaan," or even the popularity of stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwariya Rai, are all exceptions.

Again the oft-repeated success of Raj Kapoor in Russia and China in the 1950s is a rather sad commentary on the present day status of our film exports.

India once again is registering a presence at the Cannes film festival. Now that the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry are supporting the cause of showbiz, we have at least started appearing on the international circuit .

Yet our participation is lacklustre and half-hearted. The ministry of information and broadcasting has been talking of boosting exports but has neither the expertise nor the wherewithal to do it.

The National Film Development Corporation and its dreary promotions have hardly achieved any breakthrough. However, I do feel that this is a good beginning and that it is up to the industry to seize the iniative and keep the government out of this. It is basically about aggressive marketing and hard sell.

Take Cannes. It hosts at least six major media and entertainment events each year: the Cannes Film Festival, MIPCOM (TV and new media), MIPTV, MIDEM (music), the Cannes Lions and a publishing event.

India in the last few years has stepped up its participation at Cannes. There have been some triumphs too. But as any visitor to these events will tell you, our presence is dwarfed by even much smaller countries.

There is little or no effort to sell India as a brand. Even product marketing is simplistic, frugal and half-hearted. We are just not willing to spend money to open new markets.

Most film and TV producers are appalled when you tell them to spend $ 50,000 on a party (in fact, the figure is really low for a true Cannes party).

Still, some of the younger film makers and companies are slowly realising the need to showcase their products at international fairs and festivals. From no presence, we have an India presence at these important fora.

Our creative professionals must realise that one can capture international markets without giving up on the existing domestic market. These are mutually exclusive.

It requires that much more extra effort to venture into unknown territory. There is a huge awareness about Bollywood in most countries and Indian culture, cuisine, fashion and literature are the flavour of the decade.

This is the moment to take the big leap. Why is it that our presence in international festivals is still considered an elitist or marginal activity?

I have often seen our film makers, artists and other creative professionals huddling together at a local bar or casino rather than seeking new acquaintances.

Even our TV moghals are letting huge opportunities slip by. Although our TV is seen in many countries, it is still aiming at the 'desi' audience. Mainstream audiences abroad are not interested in our programming.

There are about 100 important and a dozen major international film festivals around the world. Instead of leaving it to the Directorate of Film Festivals or some self-appointed curators and cultural ambassadors to 'select' Indian films for festival screenings, production companies or individual producers have to actively promote their films.

Most information these days is available on the internet in any case. Again, if Indian music has reached Broadway and bhangra is the rage in London, it is time Indian music is sold aggressively. Digital downloads offer one such possibility.

Live concerts attractively packaged and marketed too can take our entertainment to mainstream audiences.

Whether it is participating in an international conference, trade fair, exhibition or a film festival, we have to do it with confidence, élan and some expense.

Instead of capitulating to distorted stereotypical images of an exotic India, we need to leverage our unique cultural strengths. There is all possibility of a new global audio-visual trade once World Trade Organisation norms come into play.Today no one ridicules the song and dance routine of Bollywood films.

Many may find them strangely different but most are willing to accept them as an art form that's quite apart from the American/Hollywood staple. From China to the Middle East, from South Africa to Scandinavia, there is an audience waiting to be entertained by Indian films, TV, music and events.

We need to tailor our products to different markets with adequate sales promotion. From being sceptical about our potential we need woo the world in style. What better place than a foreign festival?

(Amit Khanna is chairman of Reliance Entertainment and the views here expressed are his own.)