New Year resolutions never changed the world. They didn’t even change the men who took dire vows on New Year eve, with all seriousness, pomposity, determination and drama, to be better than what they were. They often ended up making the same promises year after year. But rituals have to be followed. Lies have to be told. After all, the fresh year must not begin its journey with the impression of us as hopeless, irredeemable, incorrigible sods.
Since we at Odishabytes have stopped making New Year resolutions for ourselves, realising the futility of the exercise, we have decided to figure out what the resolution of other people should be. So here we go.
Our filmmakers are a hard-working lot. It’s no easy job for a small industry to churn out close to 30 movies a year. But before they utter light, camera, action next year, they must give a thought to making the following resolutions.
Thou shalt not steal
It is never a good idea to steal someone else’s ideas. We seem to have made it a habit. A stop to copy-pasting scenes from films of the south should be a firm resolution. It is embarrassing because it shows we cannot think better. In fact, it should be the number one resolution.
Quality, quality, quality
Entertainment, entertainment, entertainment said one Vidya Balan-starrer film. To our filmmakers we say quality, quality, quality. A good film that stays in the mind has turned out to be as rare as snowfall in Odisha. Resolution number two must be about ensuring quality.
The art of imitation
To be inspired is good. But, like men of wisdom would say, be inspired by good things. If at all we need to borrow from cinema of other states then remake the good films they release. In the absence of originality that will be fair deal for our audience. Imitation is an art but we need to know what to imitate.
Thou shalt look within, not blame others
Educated Odias don’t watch our movies. They have no love for their mother language, complain filmmakers. Hold on, please. There could be another way to look at it. They don’t watch our films precisely because they are educated. Resolution number three should be to strive for content which will appeal to the intelligence of the viewer.
Greed is good
Greed is good, said Gordon Gecko in the iconic film Wall Street, because it catches the essence of evolutionary spirit. In short, there would be no progress if there were no greed. The final resolution for our filmmakers should be to be greedy. If they want more money out of cinema they must marry creativity with business. They have been producing enough duds, New Year should be the time to think better.
Of course, we know resolutions never were meant to be kept. They are just a wishlist. But why not make a few nonetheless.
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