It's just a faint glimmer right now, but promises to grow into an exciting trend. Women directors seem set to grow into a force to reckon with in the near future. For many years, male filmmakers have dominated the film industry. It was one of those vicious circle situations wherein male filmmakers would make big budget, well-marketed films that would conquer the box-office and keep them on top, while a handful of female filmmakers would make small-budget films that would not have the spark to fire cash registers and thus remain relegated to the periphery of the film trade.

But now, just as film financing in India has changed dramatically and audience tastes, so have the fortunes of women filmmakers. Debutant woman filmmaker Reema Kagti, whose, "Honeymood Travels Pvt Ltd", released Friday, said: "Before Farah Khan (whose debut film "Main Hoon Na" was a blockbuster), women directors in this country were considered jinxed. Farah changed all that."

"Honeymood Travels Pvt Ltd" has garnered reasonably good reviews. Like Farah, who first made her mark as a choreographer par excellence in Bollywood, Reema has broken the tradition of women directors making women-centric films. "Honeymoon Travels" stars a myriad mix of actors, some very talented like Shabana Azmi and Bomain Irani, in well-etched characters.

It turns out that no star can guarantee a hit and a good amount of finance can be garnered for a strong script, resulting in a slightly more level- playing field for moviemakers of both sexes. Of course, the international acclaim showered on filmmaker of Indian origin, Mira Nair, has also helped tremendously.

And women are lapping up new opportunities. Till some years back, the number of women filmmakers in India, which churns out more films than any other country, could be counted on the fingers of one hand. The numbers are now rising.

"There were a lot of women making a name for themselves in the world of documentaries, where budgets are bottom-of-the-barrel low. But where there is big money involved, the doors are slammed on women. A half-witted male had a better chance of getting funding than a super-talented female," comments trade observer Deepa Gahlot.

"Given the lack of funding, women filmmakers would end up making small films, usually things they feel strongly about - which means women's problems, women's struggles and women's search for identity - thus willy-nilly pushing themselves further into the ghetto," she states.

Commenting upon Reema's film, trade watcher Taran Adarsh says, "While most biggies find it tough to fetch a decent start at multiplexes, 'Honeymoon Travels.., a medium-budget film, has embarked on a favourable start at several stations. Mumbai and Delhi multiplexes opened to a 50 percent plus start, while Indore too began on a positive sign."

The reports are positive and the business is likely to get a boost at the weekend.

The commercial success of "Honeymoon Travels..." would be a clear indication that women directors are fast scaling the Bollywood ladder. Given that the box-office verdict on the recent big-ticket release - "Eklavya" - has not been very encouraging, "Honeymoon Travels..." has had good reviews. "Eklavya" benefited from initial craze among audiences for seeing a mammoth star cast, with a top-notch director at the helm of affairs and from the extended weekend, but repeat viewings are not happening.

Welcoming the trend of women directors not sticking to women-centric films that preach more and entertain less, Gehlot says that women directors for long believed that that it is imperative for them to always present the female point of view.

Bollywood today is in crying need for films that are novel. In an industry that has traditionally functioned almost entirely as an outlet for the creative visions of male directors, writers and producers, what the stereotypes have illustrated is the way men (at least moviemaking men) see women. A female gaze would straight away offer something new for audiences.

What women filmmakers need to guard against is that they do not end up playing the set rules like Farah did in "Main Hoon Na". The present opportunities should be utilised by women directors to portray their representations of women to the screen, let alone their idealised, fantasy versions of men.

Young woman director Meghna Gulzar's debut film "Filhaal" was about female bonding rarely seen on Indian celluloid. Remembering her ordeal to get finance for the film, Meghna says: "I had this interesting story in mind that I wanted to make a film about. But from the day it was launched, my film was perceived as a feminist project".

Shortage of funds affected even those women filmmakers like Sai Paranjpaye, Aparna Sen and Kalpana Lajmi - who did dare to call the shots. Meghna's contemporary Tanuja Chandra has faced similar problems. Hopefully, female directors will not remain a rare commodity in Bollywood.

Hollywood has set-up an organisation - The First Weekenders Group - that gets the word out about movies made by women in the hope of boosting crowds in their crucial first weekend, news reports say. Much like the rest of the world, even women directors in Hollywood face an invisible celluloid ceiling but this initiative could be a good example for others to follow. The group aims to help diversify Hollywood's director corps and goes into overdrive to get people into movie halls during that crucial first weekend whenever a female filmmaker unveils a movie.

"The fact that such a group needs to exist tells you that it's harder for women," writer-director Robin Swicord was quoted as saying.

Coming attractions directed by a woman director include "The Namesake" by Mira Nair, whose films include "Mississippi Masala", "Monsoon Wedding" and "Vanity Fair". Another is Deepa Mehta's Oscar nominated "Water" releasing March 9.

It remains to be seen whether directors like her will benefit from attempts to direct gender buzz.