New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS): Gone are the days when the backing of big names used to get box office business for any film, says Onir, who says that in today's time, it's the story that gives a movie its credibility.

Hinting at some of the latest duds on the big screen that were backed by big banners, he said: "How come a very big film from Dharma Productions or Yash Raj Films didn't do well at the box office? Of course, the makers initially give visibility to a film, but at the end, it is credibility. It's the story that matters the most."

"Having said that, for me, a film like 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' and 'Piku' had an identity of an independent film, so I won't disown the importance and beauty of that film just because big banners are backing that," he added.

A National Award winner known for movies like "My Brother... Nikhil", "Bas Ek Pal" and "I AM", Onir has always picked socially relevant issues like the stigma attached to AIDS patients in India, sperm donation, gay rights, Kashmiri Pandits and child sex abuse, as subjects for his films.

His next film is "Shab" in which Raveena Tandon is playing the lead role. He recently shot with actress Kareena Kapoor Khan for the campaign titled #WhoYouAre.