Masaan director Neeraj Ghaywan on Sunday said South-language movies continue to strike gold at the box office because their stories are "rooted and authentic", unlike Hindi cinema.

The critically acclaimed filmmaker said Bollywood films end up losing their edge as the characters are often "sanitised" for a section of viewers living in upscale areas such as Bandra in Mumbai.

"I feel the reason why the southern industries are doing so well is because their lived reality is so authentic, and their characters are rooted and real.

"Here (in Bollywood), the characters are sanitised for a certain audience, it has to go via Bandra. It doesn't feel real. In the process of making a film palatable to a certain audience, you might lose what is real," Ghaywan said.

He was speaking during the session 'Alternative Reality' at the 7th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC) hosted by the Screenwriters Association of India (SWA).

The director, also known for the Geeli Pucchi segment of the Ajeeb Daastaans anthology and two episodes of Made in Heaven web series, said lack of "funding" in India is a concern for independent filmmakers.

"The challenge is to make what you want with the studios while keeping your integrity intact. Recovery has to come from music or casting a particular actor. You have to battle your way through to achieve your vision," he added.

On the panel, Ghaywan was joined by filmmakers Shoojit Sircar, director Kanu Behl, and writer-director Megha Ramaswamy of What Are the Odds fame.

Independent cinema is "dead", said Behl, whose credits include Titli and Agra.

"There's this black hole where you don't know if whatever you're working on will ever get made," the director added.

Citing the example of astronomer Galileo, Sircar said for independent cinema to survive, filmmakers need to navigate the complexities of filmmaking through perseverance.

"I have a Galileo (a scientist) model. When he wanted to look up at the stars, he was in dire need of a telescope. He slowly started working menial jobs and started building and collating, and by the end, he made a telescope.

"However, he was house arrested. There he made something for the church, and one for himself... This is the model you have to follow for independent cinema," said the I Want To Talk director.

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