IFFI: Naidu urges filmmakers to present demonetisation in

Terming the demonetisation move as a "national project of behavioural change of an unprecedented scale", Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today urged filmmakers to analyse and present the consequences of this change to the people in a creative manner.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of 47th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which began here today, he also emphasised cinema should reflect larger social concerns besides focusing on entertainment.
Elaborating the role of cinema in social change, Naidu said demonetisation is a national project of behavioural change of an unprecedented scale and urged the filmmakers to present this change to the people in a creative manner.

He mentioned about the 1946 movie 'Vijayalakshmi', produced and directed by late B R Pantulu, which was based on the first demonetisation move in the country.
The movie had brilliantly presented the negative role of money sharks working for their own interest at the cost of the common man, Naidu said.
He said the situation today was also similar and hence the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this very reason had set in motion the current process of change that would bring benefits to the citizens of the country.

"Films should illuminate the mind and heart, engaging audience both intellectually and emotionally. It should expose the people to ideas, problems and developments happening in the society and make them think critically and look for alternate solutions and actions," he said.

He said cinema was a work of art and there has to be a certain "take away" for the audience who gave over two hours of their valuable time for watching a film.
Stressing there should be rich content in movies, Naidu said cinema needed to coexist with reality.
"It is necessary to pass the test of '2Rs' - Reason and Reality. Many of the commercial films are crashing because of lack of creative content," he said.
He also suggested there is a need to go back to "values" in Indian films while observing that portrayal of obscenity and violence on screen are "hurting" society.

"Creativity, reality, humanistic touch and approach, sensitivity towards reality, gender justice, respect to elders (and) keeping our traditions should be part of the cinema," he said.