If the Hindi film industry wants to seriously explore opportunities all over the world, international movie tycoon Steven Spielberg has some advice. “Do more Indian film-related events in the west,” he said at film industry forum on Monday evening. “For instance, a solid Indian film festivalwith a robust amount of publicity and marketing would perhaps help the west get access to the movies made here. Also, it’s got to do a lot more with the country being the headlines.” Spielberg was being interviewed by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan at a meet in which about 60 Hindi film directors participated. How to win the west was obviously top of mind for these filmmakers, and the Hollywood filmmaker had much to say on the topic.

“Awareness of Indian films and the abundant talent here is already acknowledged,” he said. “But in the west, we have no access to it. That’s why I haven’t seen too many Hindi films myself.” With more than 60 filmmakers in a single room (the class of 2013, as someone lightly remarked), the evening was engaging and packed with information, wit, humor and charm, as questions and answers flew back and forth (see Steven Spielberg’s Quote Hangar below).Amongst many interesting exchanges, the globally acclaimed filmmaker shared how his company DreamWorks came to be associated with Reliance Entertainment Group.  “Anil (Ambani) and I met in Cannes in 2008 when the global economic meltdown had hit everyone.

My company DreamWorks was in bad shape and we will always be grateful to Anil for helping us get back on our feet. We realised we spoke the same language of loyalty and freedom,” Spielberg said.
After the event ended, the international filmmaker personally asked director Raju Hirani to stay for dinner. Dining with his family, Amitabh Bachchan and Anil and Tina Ambani, a curious Spielberg questioned Hirani about his scripting techniques. “I have seen your movie 3 Idiots three times,” he said. “I like its humane and emotional undertones. How do you write?” While dinner on Monday night was Oriental, Spielberg, who is in India after 30 years, had had a homemade meal on Sunday afternoon at Anil Ambani’s residence.