The red carpet has been rolled out at Cannes for the gloriously glamorous people to flock to the film festival. L’Oreal beauties —Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Eva Longoria, Freida Pinto, Jennifer Lawrence, Salma Hayek and Sonam Kapoor among others were all present, dressed to the nines, flashing their famous smiles and designer togs for the photographers to click. Outside of the fashion statements, that other F component of the festival—namely films are garnering attention too. Among the Indian delegates, a few like NFDC, members of FICCI and CII have become festival regulars, but the most significant new presence from India would have to be YashRaj Entertainment, the international division of YashRaj Films or YRF as it is popularly known. After producing and distributing a whole range of films within India, they are now taking their first step forward in the international arena, at Cannes International Film Festival with not one, but two films—'Grace of Monaco' and 'Titli'. Uday Chopra’s name is a prominent mention accompanying Arsh Amel and Pierre-Ang Le Pogam for the producer’s credit. 'Grace of Monaco' premiered at Cannes Festival with much drama surrounding it, given that US distributor Harvey Weinstein refused to release the present European edit. The poor reviews at the festival are unlikely to help its commercial prospects. And then the royal family of Monaco in which Grace Kelly married, has called it something of a farce with too many creative liberties. Incidentally, it was at the festival that Grace Kelly met her future husband Prince Rainier. However, given their reservations about the film, Monaco’s regal attendees cancelled their usual attendance at the festival. With so much drama happening around it, the expectations of the film with Nicole Kidman playing the title role, were high. The silver lining for YRF Entertainment and Uday Chopra spearheading it would, however be handy for the studio when distributing its own films in newer territories. 'Grace of Monaco', for instance would be released in France, Europe and Taiwan among others. 'Titli', which is part of Uncertain Regard (which runs parallel to the competition for Plame d’Or), gets the critics interested, could be an immediate beneficiary of this experience. The story is about Titli, the youngest member of a family involved in a violent car-jacking, and who makes an attempt to free himself, is reportedly an edgy take on family ties and members. A co-production between YRF and Dibakar Banerjee, the film, like 'Udaan', 'Gangs of Wasseypur', 'Miss Lovely' or 'The Lunchbox' before it, could certainly do with the halo effect that films feted at international festivals, carry. Either ways this bold stride forward into the worldwide arena is both, a natural and much required phenomena for an entity like YRF. After Mira Nair who wowed the world with 'Salaam Bombay' and 'Monsoon Wedding'; Anurag Kashyap with the help of his very capable, young associate Guneet Monga, was the first to establish a clear Indian breakthrough at Cannes. That big business houses from India like Reliance Big Entertainment and YRF are now stepping out with a wide variety of films is certainly going to help them grow the markets for Indian films. A worldwide distribution network and marketing wherewithal are essential features that place Hollywood studios a notch above Indian set-ups and hopefully, such initiatives are likely to narrow the gap between the two.
