Goafest 2023: The human touch will always remain in cinema, say actors

Just how much will technology make a difference to the craft of filmmaking? A lot has changed over the last decade, in particular, in terms of VFX and in the process, allowing for more big-budget films to be released. Perhaps, at some point, we could see actors themselves being replaced.  

All this and a lot more came up for discussion at Goafest 2023. A panel discussion titled, “Future of Indian Cinema: Exploring Artistic Freedom and Challenging Conventions” had well-known actress,Tabu exchange views with actor and producer, Rana Daggubati. As entertainment options proliferate, there is a need for cinema to reorient and make itself mor relevant to a changing audience. The session was moderated by Rajeev Masand, COO of Dharma Cornerstone Agency.

According to Daggubati, the fundamental need to be entertained will never change. “I am very optimistic about the future and now with the use of AI in visual effects, there are more tools to employ,” he said. The actor is among the biggest in the Telugu film industry and, with the success of the Bahubali franchise, has managed to successfully make the crossover to the Hindi film industry. Taking off from there, Tabu looked at the human element in filmmaking as being the most important component. “Technological advancements come from the desire to create something better but the core of a creative process is something that it cannot crack.” The actress has made a mark in Hindi and regional cinema apart from making it big globally as well. In an evolving world, the ability to make cinema even more creative is a constant challenge. “Cinema too came from nothingness. Now, we will need to create something that the audience has never seen before,” she said.  

An issue that Bollywood has had to deal with is a large number of its films tanking at the box-office. Daggubati maintained this was a phase the industry was going through. “Audience preferences are changing. In the past, better storytelling was the answer and will be no different this time either,” he said. The view from Tabu was that the success of a film has many factors coming together and may be difficult to pick one or a couple in particular.  

The dropping theatrical collections, with many choosing to watch the film on OTT has been another worrying trend. Daggubati admitted it was of concern but again it came down to how much the industry was willing to adapt. “The fact is theatre is where we watch the biggest films and now, we must figure out ways to bring back the audience.”

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