[Reader-list] Twin trends of success: Celluloid and Compact Disk

[daljit ami]

Hello Everybody,
I am a freelance journalist and documentary films. After completing my masters in History and I did diploma in journalism. I am writing in Punjabi newspapers and magazines for last ten years. I have written about the socio-cultural and political issues of Punjab. I have also written on national and international issues with reference of Punjab. Rural Punjab remained focus of my writings. Six years ago I started making documentary films. I have made films about agriculture labour in Punjab that got commendation award from IDPA festival. I have done biographical films and an anti war film, Zulm Aur Aman. In Zulm Aur Aman I juxtaposed Second World War with second Gulf War on the poetry of two great Punjabi poets (of urdu) Habib Zalib and Sahir Ludhianvi. I have made six filmsIn my study that I am suppose to do on SARAI fellowship I will study the contemporary films being made in Punjabi. Here is the abstract below about my study.
In recent past Punjabi film production has gone through tremendous changes of comprehensive magnitude. Two different trends have been noticed. Big budget (as compared to earlier Punjabi) films have been made on celluloid and have been able to not only recover the production cost but also earn heavy returns. With the popularization of Digital technology low budget small films have been made in large number. These small films made on video format have been successful in the market. These two trends have success as the common factor otherwise they are quite different from each other. The difference is not reduced to production format or length of the film. They are different in content and treatment. They are meant for different audiences.
Video is trying to be group or area specific whereas celluloid is broader in canvas and reach. The budget of celluloid is ranging between 20 to 30 million where as small films are being produced within one lakh. Celluloid is trying to rope in big stars from Hollywood and NRIs into its cast. Video is dependent on local artists graduating from Punjabi theatre or fresher.
The subject matter of celluloid has changed with last few years from caste or land holding based fights and triangles to emigration and lifestyle. With the change of subjects the locales of films have also shifted from open fields, tractors, horses and motorcycles to urban villas and North American landscapes. These film explore the nostalgia and problematic of settling abroad. Human relations stretched towards extreme ends under the pressures of emigration and love for motherland has been projected in these films with an eye on overseas market. Rustic males and rural females working in harem have been replaced by refined educated male-females speaking Punjabi-English mix. 
The success of Bollywood films having Punjabi background opened the door for Punjabi films. Punjabi pop was already established as big hit, internationally. Punjabi films started exploring the subjects of patriotism (Sheed Udaam Singh), lovetales (Sheed-e-Mohabat Buta Singh), comedy (Mahoul Theek Hai) and emigration (Je Ayaa Nu and Asa nu Maan Vatan da). Here the producer targeted at the global market explored by Punjabi Pop and Jash Chopra-Karan Johar brand of bollybood films. A new creed of producers and actors emerged. Few years old Punjabi films and subjects started looking primitive within no time. 
The decreased price of Compact Disk and its players converted lots of people into consumers of a commodity previous almost non-existent i.e. films made on video format. This medium is consumer friendly in terms of time, as it does not depend on Television or Cinema’s time schedule. Here you can see a film at your convenience. It has converted those people into audiences who don’t afford to visit cinema halls. The low cost production enables many people to make films. People involved in Punjabi theatre jumped with their subjects from stage to Compact Disk. Script of plays with minor altercations or as-it-is has been worked out into films. The market has seen a glut of such films. The subjects of these films range from social to political and economic. The films have rustic language and cheap comedy as its prominent features.
The comparative study of both these trends will help us understand the taste of audiences, constrains of medium, concerns of producers and different aspects of media economy. The comparative study of contents and treatment in both the media will be useful to understand the role of medium in shaping the subject. The limitations and possibilities of media and individuals need to be studied to understand the role of media in shaping the media tastes. The comparative analysis of both the audiences will help us form an opinion about the choices of audiences. The importance of economy in shaping the media will be interesting to explore.
The video films are uncensored or they don’t go to the market through censor board. How and what extent social censorship on these films work can be understood through interactions with people involved in the making of these films. Both these trends are trying to work out a combination of entertainment and message. This combination has been tried in different ways. The massage depends on the target audience. What massages are being coined in these trends will be an interesting variable to judge the composition of target audience. Compact Disk is delving into social problems and economic crises whereas Celluloid is exploring the emotional dilemmas.
Both these trends are economically successful although the scales of success are different. How media review these trends is another interesting variable to access the attitude of media towards these trends.
waiting for your responces
daljit ami
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