India, June 2 -- It is not often that the two top movies in the world on a given weekend are low-budget independent horror films from first-time filmmakers. But Obsession and Backrooms have brought focus back to small-budget films with fresh takes and voices. And even as these two micro-budget films beat a Star Wars title at the box office, the conversation in India is about whether such a thing can ever happen here. Would a small-budget film - of any genre - be able to go toe-to-toe with a Cop Universe film or beat a tentpole starring one of the Khans? The moviegoing audience in India is pessimistic, saying that a combination of factors prevents India's Obsession + Backrooms moment.

Backrooms, made on a $10 million budget, grossed $117 ...