Indian audiences are not mature enough to use films to the fullest extent to "examine life" and instead watch them only to reassert their "mythological values", noted London-based script writer Farokh Dhondy said today.
"Indian audiences are definitely not suited to watching movies with a deeper sense of exploration. They watch movies only to reassert their values that good is good and bad is bad. Ram is Ram and Ravana is Ravana, they do not believe in shades of grey," Dhondy told PTI in an interview here today.
"In contrast, audiences in the West view movie-making as an experience that can be used to enhance their life and way of thinking", said Dhondy, who has written scripts for two films being screened at the ongoing International Film Festival of India - Take 3 Girls and American Daylight.
Pointing out that crossover films like Monsoon Wedding, which he had co-written, were successful because they managed to achieve a blend of the Indian flavour and Western sensibilities, Dhondy said he has an advantage as a script writer as he was born in India but lives in London.
"Living in London and having an Indian background helps me get a feel of both the cultures and hence I can work on telling a story that I think is acceptable universally," he added.
{{/usCountry}}"Living in London and having an Indian background helps me get a feel of both the cultures and hence I can work on telling a story that I think is acceptable universally," he added.
{{/usCountry}}