Priyadarshan: “The Quality Of Our Cinema Has Really Deteriorated.”

One  of  the country’s most  prolific and  continually successful filmmakers  Priyadarshan is currently in Goa heading  the  jury  for  the  50^th International Film Festival  Of  India(IFFI).

Priyan, as he  is  affectionately  known, is  not happy with what he has seen in Goa.

“My jury and I saw 314  films. Out of these  only 20 were  outright  brilliant. The  others ranged from mediocre to  downright unimpressive. So yes ,I would say I am not pleased with the  content, ” is  Priyan’s shocking declaration.

Priyan has an explanation for  the falling standards   of our cinema. “Nowadays anyone can become a  filmmaker.Anyone who has  access to a camera can shoot a film. In  our times when  I started as  a filmmaker  it was  very  big thing to get behind the camera. One had to work hard to earn  that privilege. One had  to train for years before being considered  fit to be a director.”

Priyan feels the  lack of preparedness  is taking its toll on the  quality  of  Indian  films. “Nowadays  one needs  no qualification to be a filmmaker  or a film critic. The  end-results  speak for themselves. Out of   the 314 film I’ve seen in Goa,  the  20 films that are absolutely brilliant  are all directed  by trained  filmmakers. I think that says  it all.”