New directors taking up social issues in mainstream format:

Actor Paoli Dam, who has won adulation for her role in 'Halkaa', which is a winner at the Montreal Film Festival, is eager that the flick is released commercially in the country.

'Halkaa' is made by 'I am Kalam' director Nila Madhab Panda. It is about a child's dream to make a toilet of his own in a slum and takes up the issue of open defecation in slums.

The film bagged the 'Grand Prix de Montreal' award at the 21st 'Festival International du Film pour Enfants de Montreal Film festival (FIFEM)' earlier this month.

"There is now a new breed of directors who are making such films in mainstream format in both Hindi and Bengali and tackling important social issues. We had shot in real time locations," Paoli told PTI.

Gushing over how she got fan messages on her Twitter and Facebook accounts for her role in 'Halkaa', Paoli said, "Indians abroad liked the film and are posting comments on my (FB and Twitter) accounts and those of co-actor Ranvir Shorey and director Nila Madhab Panda."
Paoli said her role in 'Kantho', being made and produced by the director-duo Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee and presented by a leading jewellery group, contained an important message for contemporary times in a "very very mainstream, commercial approach."