Children should watch films with pleasant endings for them to develop a positive outlook in life, opined film professionals at the open forum organised as part of the ongoing 20th International Children’s Film Festival at Prasads Imax here on Monday.
Shaktimaan fame Mukesh Khanna, who is the chairman of the Children’s Film Society-India, said kiddie films should not end in tragedy. “After I assumed charge, I ensured that films that end in tragedy are not screened during the festival,” he said.
Humour and fantasy are lifelines for children’s films, but filmmakers shouldn’t go overboard with those two elements, said experts.
Mr. Khanna urged parents to give a free hand to their children. “Do not impose restrictions on them. Let them have free time of their own so that they can grow as responsible citizens,” he added.
The panelists argued that films should cater to the needs of the target audience, especially in case of ‘children’s movies’. Film personalities also felt the need to include filmmaking and storytelling as part of school curriculum.