These movies purport to narrate the authentic account of India’s past, targeting the wrongdoings of “leftists” and “intellectuals”, including the revered freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi.
In the upcoming election, Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) are aiming for a third term. This has sparked a strong pro-government movement within Bollywood, blurring the distinction between entertainment and political promotion in India’s biggest film industry.
More than ten newly released or upcoming movies are promoting the prime minister and his government’s Hindu nationalist policies and beliefs. The upcoming election, which will shape the country’s future for the next five years, will begin on April 19 and last for six weeks.
Critics and experts in the film industry have raised concerns about certain movies promoting Islamophobic ideas and spreading false anti-Muslim theories. They have also called out the use of the derogatory term “urban naxals” by some Hindu right-wing individuals to label progressive activists and intellectuals. There are fears that these films may contribute to further dividing India along religious lines.
The release of a film, created by a BJP MP, has been met with court intervention due to its inflammatory depiction of Muslims.
The recent surge in pro-government movies is similar to the events leading up to the 2019 election. At that time, a film about Modi received backlash for being overly supportive of the prime minister and the election commission prevented its release before voting began.
According to Sayandeb Chowdhury, a literature professor at Krea University in Chennai and author of works on Indian cinema, these films are a clear attempt at spreading propaganda and causing conflict to support the government’s political goals.
He noted that Modi and other government officials have specifically mentioned several movies in their speeches. He stated that cinema has now become a tool for political organizing.
A highly anticipated movie in Indian theaters will be a biography of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a polarizing Hindu nationalist figure whom Modi has praised for his activism against British rule. However, his writings advocate for aggression towards Muslims and show support for the Nazis and Italian fascists.
Last month’s release of Article 370 is a clear celebration of Modi’s choice to remove Kashmir, a region mostly populated by Muslims, from its status as a state. The film portrays him as a resolute leader, rescuing India from turmoil and dishonesty. Although Modi praised the film, some critics have deemed it to be factually inaccurate.
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A new movie is targeting Jawaharlal Nehru University, a renowned center for left-wing ideas and activism. Set for release in April, Jahangir National University delves into the happenings of a campus where unsubstantiated theories, such as “leftists orchestrating love jihad,” and allegations of “urban naxals” attempting to divide the nation.
Chowdhury noted that the recent releases reflect a broader pattern in Bollywood, where the movie industry has become increasingly aligned with Modi’s governance over the past ten years, despite traditionally remaining non-political.
The speaker expressed disappointment over Bollywood being used as a weapon to create discord among the diverse religious and cultural groups in India. They remarked that this could potentially lead to the loss of a unifying representation that has long brought people together.
As the frequency of films promoting the BJP’s agenda continues to rise, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon have received legal warnings and have been forced to delete certain series and films that are perceived as being critical of the government.
Chowdhury stated that the release of The Kashmir Files in 2022 was a significant moment. The film claimed to reveal the truth about the forced displacement of Hindus from the area. Despite criticism for its biased portrayal of Muslims and distortion of historical events, it was the top-grossing film of the year.
Numerous films have emerged in response, purporting to depict historical events, with a heavy bias against Muslims. These films have been viewed as part of an overall effort by the BJP to revise India’s historical narrative.
The latest production, entitled Razakar:Silent Genocide of Hyderabad, has been accused in a legal document of being biased against Islam for its misleading depiction of a Muslim figure. The producer, like with The Kashmir Files, maintains that the film is completely truthful and does not contain any added elements for commercial purposes.
According to Raja Sen, a writer in the film industry who also reviews films, there has been a trend of filmmakers capitalizing on controversial, thought-provoking films that lead to public discourse in order to achieve commercial success at the box office.
What’s alarming is that these movies are now being approved,” Sen expressed. “It’s honestly terrifying.”
Source: theguardian.com
