The controversial documentary film 2016 is neither the mouthpiece of a political party nor backed by a Hollywood movie studio. Directed by Dinesh D’SOUZA, PRESIDENT OF King’s college, New York, it has raked in more than $6.5 million and has been among the top 10 box-office hits since its release in July 2012. The movie is a triumph for documentary film can make money, reach the masses through a public broadcast medium, and most importantly, air an independent view of the in-power President, regardless of how authentic or credible its claims and facts are.

Indian documentary film makers by contrast, continue to struggle on all fronts. Finding a platform for their films, and then, to make the eligibility cut at international television channels and auditoriums or multiplexes is certainly not a cakewalk. According to Rajiv Mehrotra, Chairman of the PublicServices Brodcasting Trust, an independent, not for profit organization managed by trustees that include Adoor Gopalakrishna, Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal, Aruna Vasudev and Sharmila Tagore among others, “one third of the films that come to us are good, another one third passable and the remaining not worth airing.”

While a documentary film will be evaluated in terms of content and treatment, he feels that not always does a film have to endorse a string socially relevant message. “That should not be, is a passion to say something through the cinematic medium something that has emanated from a rigorous process of discussion, debate, thinking, exploring, research and validation of facts,” he says, adding, “technology does play a role which is why many of our films do not find their ways to international broadcast platforms”.

More than 20 films were screened at the 12^th edition of the PSBT Open Frame Festival held recently. The PSBT has been holding the annual festival for 12 years; showcasting films cover themes that run the entire gamut of freedom, diversity, gender, environment, confict, HIV/AIDS, democracy, sexuality, livelihood and urbanization. They have made the process of selection, commissioning and screening simple. By doing away with giving bank guarantees, it’s a lot easier for cash strapped students, straight out of say FTII, to still go ahead and make a film and let it see the light of day. The PSBT also did away with the need to submit elaborate concept notes, proposals and scripts. All they now ask for is a simple two pager. This is evaluated by a term of three experts and the feedback shared with the film maker.

“Instead of telling the person, we want this, for we would then be urging him to make a PSBT film, we leave it to his creative judgment.” If he agrees, he is duly mentored; to the extent it does not impinge on his freedom of expression.

According to Mehrotra, documentary films by virtue of being realistic accounts of everyday life, strike a chord with audiences whose tastes have more certainly matured. But in the absence of more popular mediums of dissemination, the government will have to step in to make more visible space. Prasar Bharti must allow for a weekly slot on prime time, private channels must be governed by some guidelines on broadcasting public content and more monies must be allocated for top of the heap films with potential for gripping the collective imagination and sensibilities of a global audience are some of his strong suggestions.

Asked whether social media can play a role in allowing small budget independent film makers reach a large audience, Mehrotra says sardonically, “well, if you can make broadband work beyond e-mail and facebook and let streaming happen not just in the capital but across the country, sure it will work.”

Clearly, till that happens, more platforms are needed and the government has to mop up more support for the documentary film genre to thrive. Exceptions like Anand Patwardhan, one of India’s most visible documentary film makers exist but largely because they have taken the initiative to push their films using their own personal money. That cannot be the model for most other film makers.

“PSBT started as an embryonic effort and has remained one, since the large vision of seeing many more PSBTs bloom, did not quite happen,” says Mehrotra.