Bollywood plays for Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of Indian elections

The trailer begins with a silhouette of the iconic sunglasses. Mohandas Gandhi, the leader who helped India gain independence from British colonialists in 1947. Against the backdrop of devotional singing that Gandhi loved, the figure slowly transforms into what appears to be his face. Then a loud beat is played, followed by a rap song. Finally a face is revealed: not that of Gandhibut that of an actor who embodies the ideological enemy of the pacifist leader, Vinayak Damodar Savarkarthe man considered to be the spearhead of nationalism in India.

It's the same ideology as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi He used the opportunity to consolidate his power as his ruling party continues its bid to transform the secular country into a Hindu nation.

The biopic about the early 20th century nationalist ideologue titled Swatantra Veer Savarkar o Savarkar, independent warrior They will be presented for the first time in the weeks of the countdown to the national vote that will determine the country's political direction for the next five years. The film coincides with a group of upcoming Bollywood releases based on polarizing themes, which promote the political agenda of Modi and their government, or attack their detractors.

Analysts say the use of popular cinema as a campaign tool to promote nationalism fuels a divisive narrative, which risks exacerbating the country's already widespread political and religious differences. King Sen, a Bollywood film critic and screenwriter, says the films once represented a mix of nationalist cinema and a promoter of national integration. That seems to be changing quickly, he said. The scary thing is that these films are now accepted. It's really scary.

For over a century, Bollywood has unified India, a country divided on religious, political and caste lines. It is rare for religion to influence the success of filmmakers and actors. Bollywood films also champion political diversity and religious harmony. But this culture seems to be threatened.

Under the nationalist government of Modi, many filmmakers have made films about ancient Indian kings extolling their courage. Rambunctious, action-packed films glorifying the military became box office hits. Political dramas and biopics praising nationalists are the norm.

In most of these films, the usual villains are medieval Muslim rulers, left-wing or opposition leaders, free thinkers or human rights activists, as well as neighboring Pakistan, the archenemy of India.

The biographical film about Sarvarkar, which championed India's future as a Hindu nation, is emblematic of this broader trend. Two other upcoming films aim to unravel a conspiracy around the 2002 train fire in the western state of Gujarat, which sparked one of the worst anti-Muslim riots in the country. history. More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died in the riots. It was a very controversial episode in the political career of Modiwho was then ruler of Gujarat.

Another film aims to expose the anti-national agenda of a university in the capital, New Delhi. The film is loosely based on Jawaharlal Nehru University, one of the country's leading liberal institutions, which became the target of nationalists and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. Modi.

Many previous films with similar themes have become box office hits. The match of Modi He generally supports them publicly despite criticism of his government for suppressing dissent.

In February, he Modi to rent out Article 370a film that celebrated his government's controversial decision to strip Indian-controlled Kashmir of its special status and statehood in 2019. Some film critics have called the film factually incorrect and a thinly veiled propaganda film which favors the government.

The history of Kerala, the ninth highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023, has been widely criticized for inaccuracies in its depiction of Christian and Hindu girls from the southern Indian state of Kerala being lured into joining the Islamic State. The film was banned in two states governed by opposition parties, who described it as Islamophobic and likely to destroy religious harmony.

At the same time, at least three states governed by the party of Modi They exempted tickets to see the film from taxes and organized massive screenings. Modi himself supported the screening of the film at an election rally. Sudipto Sen, the film's director, said the film revealed the link between religious fundamentalism and terrorism through a human story and did not vilify Muslims. The emotional appeal of these films cannot be ignored. In fact, all state governments should support them, he said.

Another of the films Sen, based on the Maoist insurgency in the jungles of central India, will be released on March 15. Its main villains, besides the insurgents, were human rights activists and left-wing intellectuals. One critic called it a two-hour diatribe against communism. If these films were applauded by the Indian right, others from Bollywood fell into the crosshairs of Hindu nationalists.

Right-wing groups have frequently threatened to block the release of films they consider offensive to Hinduism. Activists often call on social networks to boycott these films. Some filmmakers, caught in India's increasingly restrictive political environment, say they resort to self-censorship. People like me feel helpless, he says Onira filmmaker awarded a National Award and who only answers to one name.

Onir He has made highly acclaimed films that highlight the rights of LGBTQ+ people. In 2022, Onir wanted to make a film inspired by a former Indian army major who falls in love with a resident of disputed Kashmir, where armed rebels seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan have been fighting Indian rule for centuries. decades. The film's script was rejected by the Indian Defense Ministry because it distorted the image of the Indian army, the filmmaker explained.

Watch the movies that are currently coming out. Any film that goes against the government's narrative is classified as anti-national. There is no just cause. In fact, there is an atmosphere of fear, he says.

There are polarizing films which, according to Onirmake up the majority of recent releases, while those focused on minority discrimination facing obstacles tend to bring in big money, indicating the appetite for this type of content.

Some say the rise of controversial films reflects the opportunism of filmmakers. The idea that this is the path to success has permeated Bollywood, says King Sencritic and screenwriter.

According to him, these types of films make sense from a commercial point of view because of the noise they generate, even if they serve as the cinematic equivalent of WhatsApp transfers, a reference to the misinformation and propaganda spread on the social messaging platform. Indian cinema needs an artistic rebellion. I hope we can start to see it, he said. Sen.

Source: AP

[Fotos: Anushree Fadnavis/(REUTERS; Francis Mascarenhas/REUTERS; Francis Mascarenhas/File/REUTERS; Danish Siddiqui/File/REUTERS]