Raj Suri talks on Production, Distribution and Consumption of Bollywood Films in Australia [spacer height=”20px”]
” …the engine of Bollywood consumption is largely the Indian diaspora around the world – and Australia is no different. We have Australian cinema chains showing blockbuster Bollywood films – via distribution offices of Bollywood films in Australia. Again, its the Indian Australians who are driving it for Australia. Though I would love to see the main stream Australian entertainment news channels or print media review or cover Bollywood films in the same manner as its done for the non Australian Hollywood films. This is where the awareness comes in…..across the board….just like you cannot expect the food editor of main stream media talk about or analyse a gourmet Indian dish of say “rava dosa or ” if the editor has grown up on a western diet. Its the same for films…and general Bollywood content in the Australian mainstream media. Awareness is the key! I am sure a lot of people have the interest and good intentions but its the effort and time which goes into understanding the culture..to bring about the awareness. I am positive this will happen as the number of people grow with genuine interest in Bollywood….”[spacer height=”20px”]
…20 years ago, when I came to Australia, I would say it was next to negligible. Now its great to see that there is genuine interest to scratch beyond the large surface of Bollywood right here in Australia. I was fortunate enough to be one of the judges on the 2012 Australia SBS TV programs called the “Bollywood Star” – which was a franchise model out of UK, but a bold start by SBS to take the “Bollywood” phenomena to the wider Australia – open for any Australian, of all ages and colours to have a GO! That is what I love about Australia – if rightly packaged – people will have a Go! We had a great following, supported by the Australian press, and on social media. The ground work was set for this to become the flagship program for Bollywood starved Australians – but for some reason series two season did not come through…but it was an good beginning![spacer height=”20px”]
Nevertheless..Would like to see more of home grown stories, dramas in Australian TV. What interests me are the Australian stories set within the back drop of Bollywood. Australians today come is all colours and backgrounds – just like what you see in Bollywood! Yes, its possible..and things are slowly started to move in the right direction.[spacer height=”20px”]
The awareness campaigns – in terms of collaboration of private enterprise, communications, festivities, film festivals, talks and most of all people to people interactions can all help in getting the meaning of Bollywood out there…and most of all the enjoyment which can come from it – for all Australians – from all walks of life.[spacer height=”20px”]
…In Australia we have great talent – and are fair dinkum about what we do. I am positive once the Australians apply themselves – its no stopping us to bring out the Bollywood content for the world from Australia. ” [spacer height=”20px”]