Political films—adaptations, hagiographies and dramatisation of election issues—seem to be the toast of the pre-poll season, but India is not the first or the only country to go down this road
Vicky Kaushal might be hot, but he did a propaganda film and I don’t like him anymore,” was a tweet by Delhi based media consultant Tanzila Anis that snowballed into a Twitter-storm. While trolls hurled personal insults, others discussed whether a war film could be politically-motivated, if the movie industry has the moral responsibility to stay away from politics, and the difference between ‘propaganda’ and ‘patriotism’.
“Uri glorifies a supposed military strike by the government and the timing of its release seems suspect,” Anis later told Forbes India. “It cannot be a coincidence that the The Accidental Prime Minister, which takes digs at the Opposition and is promoted by the BJP’s social media handle, is released on the same Friday.” She received over 270 replies on the tweet and had to mute comments to keep trolls away. “It is all geared at the 2019 elections. In my opinion, it is propaganda.”
Meanwhile, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap rushed to defend his contemporary Aditya Dhar’s film chronicling India’s supposed surgical strikes on Pakistan in 2016. “The jingoism spouted in Uri was far lesser than the jingoism I see in American movies or war movies from anywhere across the world. I think we watch everything from the coloured glasses of the time we live in and just don’t trust anyone’s intention,” he said in an unrelated series of tweets.
Long story short, these are just a few examples of how, ahead of the general elections in April May, people are seriously debating whether the sudden slew of political films and biopics are timed to win parties a few brownie points. Be it informed or speculative, serious or shallow, everyone seems to be talking, forming opinions, taking sides. There is constant chatter, especially on social media.
PAST IMPERFECT, PRESENT TENSE
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
