They may not have tasted much success scripting stories here but it will be Hollywood calling for 15 filmmakers from Mumbai as they spend ten days looking to script success stories preferably with collaboration from Big Brother US.Big-time movers and shakers of Indian films — Subhash Ghai, Sudhir Mishra, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ronnie Screwaala, Kandaswamy Bharatan, Kaizad Gustad, Dhiren Ghosh, Ramoji Rao to name a few — are being pitched in by the CII, hoping that they will make the right splash at the American Film Market.Indian filmmakers who so far concentrated on the expat Indian community will be seeking to address America as one whole market beginning February 17. For starters, to tempt the market is Oops — that chronicles the life of male strippers — to be released in India sometime in April but making its debut in front of the American Film Market Association later this month. Chosen from more than 20 entries, Oops is being showcased to test the US market for Indian films and perhaps set the trend for the future course of Indian cinema in the US.And Deepak Tijori, its writer/producer/director is happy that his film is making it to the US. His debut film looks at the life of ‘‘extras’’ in Indian films and the unorthodox jobs they are forced to undertake to make a living. Tijori is one of the 15 filmmakers hoping to storm the US. The filmmakers will be looking at inviting American filmmakers to shoot in India apart from launching Indian cinema in a big way in the US. The filmmakers will be joined later by Mira Nair, Shekhar Kapur — star attractions in the delegation.The filmmakers will be calling on the American Film Producers Association, American Film Exporters Association, American Film Market Association and the MGM and Miramax studios.Unlike the traditional markets like West Asia, even China and Japan where Indian films have found audience, the US remains a largely untapped market for Indian films. So far, only the expat Indian community has had a shot at it.The CII is not picking the tabs for the visit. It is just lending its name to the delegation.
