Life span of films shrinking: Farooq Sheikh

Mumbai: Noted actor Farooq Sheikh feels that the films today have advanced technically, but their "life span" is shrinking and the writing department is not getting more attention. "Today, we are 100 times better technically, 50 times better financially and 200 times ahead in number of audience. The quantum of audience has increased, we have international audience. According to me, more attention should be given in the writing department -- be it story, dialogue, songs," Sheikh, 64, told reporters. "Writers are backbone of the film, so if the spinal cord is weak, how much ever flesh and bone you add, it is going to collapse sooner or later." "The life span of films is shorter today. Today there are films that come and go. There is nothing in films that is memorable. `Mother India` was made in 1956... It`s been 50-60 years but still the film has caught everyone`s attention. You don`t feel there are 14 songs so let`s skip it and do something else," Sheikh added. The veteran actor thinks that if the story is not good, songs and dance sequences are put in to grab attention. "I feel when you don`t have a good script in place, you require fight sequences, item numbers, and heroine dressed in skimpy way. It is not that there is no place for such films... there is. But if you have a good story, more and more people will watch it," he said. However, Sheikh feels it is the best time to be in Indian cinema. "It is happy time to be in cinema as today there is place for all kind of films. The generation is willing to do something different." The `Chashme Buddoor` star will be seen next in debutante director Avinash Kumar Singh`s `Listen Amaya`, opposite Deepti Naval. The film is about the relationship between a middle-aged widow, essayed by Deepti, and her daughter, played by Swara Bhaskar of `Tanu Weds Manu` fame, and what happens when the mother falls in love with a 60-year-old retired photographer, played by Sheikh. "The script, the enthusiasm of the director and my experience of working with first-time directors are the reasons for me to do the film. I feel newcomer directors are willing to give blood for the film. They have done their best. And we hope people like it," Sheikh said. PTI