Sonam Kapoor feels fear of 'film festival' tag keeps Indian makers away from fests

Mumbai: Actress Sonam Kapoor said Indian producers are reluctant to take their movies at international festivals as they feel the "festival film" tag can hamper its commercial success in the country.

This year at the 70th Cannes International Film Festival, only FTII student Payal Kapadia's short film "Afternoon Clouds" made it to the Cinefondation category.
When asked why not many Indian films make it to the prestigious festival, Sonam, in a FaceTime interview from Cannes, said, "I don't know why there are no Indians films coming here... I just know that Indian market is very different from the international market.

"As soon as you put a tag of festivals on it, producers are under the impression that the film isn't going to do well commercially. I think that's why many producers don't put our films in festivals unless we need somebody to distribute them," she said.

The actress said even she has experienced the same with certain producers.

"That is what has been my experience with certain films that I've been a part of where producers are like 'we don't want to put our films in festivals because we don't want that perception (of the film being serious).'

"I don't agree with it at all. I feel a film like 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'The Lunchbox' got a lot of attraction and became a worldwide success because of festivals."

Sonam's "Neerja" co-star Shabana Azmi recently tweeted a picture of herself from Cannes Film Festival in 1976, when her film "Nishant" was in the official section.

Azmi had tweeted, "Film was important not the clothes."

When asked about this, Sonam said, "It is a film festival and all (others) are walking for a film. I am here for a makeup brand. If I was here for my film, I would be dressing very differently. Since I am here for a makeup and glam brand, I think it makes sense to me to look a certain way."

Sonam, however, in unfazed by comparisons between other L'Oreal Paris brand ambassadors like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Deepika Padukone.

"The comparisons are not in my hands, it's what the media is doing, so they have to decide whether it is fair or unfair. They are pitting one woman against the other. They should be celebrating all women. I consider all of this foolish, I don't even like to indulge in it," said Sonam.