Bollywood has become a "political battlefield", as the Indian election approaches the political battlefield | Bollywood | India

When it comes to Bollywood movies in India, what do you first associate with? Is it a graceful girl who lights cinnabar, an enduring "Three Sweat Heavenly King", or a passionate song and dance that is "everywhere"? But if someone tells you that Bollywood is now a battlefield, would you feel a bit surprised?

Observers have recently discovered that as India's general election takes place next year, Bollywood is increasingly becoming a "political battlefield" - multiple new films are "closely following" the political agenda of the ruling party, indicating that the Modi administration dominates ideology and strives to influence voters. With the increasingly prominent trend of turning box office into politics in election years, this phenomenon has also sparked more reflection.

Highly praised

According to an article published by Nikkei News on the 8th, over 20 films have been released in Bollywood in the past two years that closely follow the agenda of the ruling Indian People's Party. In the view of the opposition, the subtle connection between Bollywood and the People's Party is aimed at influencing voters before next year's election, when the current Prime Minister Modi will seek a third term.

The Kashmir Archive is such a film. It was released in India in March last year and tells the story of Hindus withdrawing from the predominantly Muslim Kashmir region in the 1990s.

Film critics have mixed reviews of this movie, but Modi and many Hindus have praised it greatly. Modi praised it for telling the "truth" about the displacement of Hindus, stating that Hindus have been "suppressed for many years".

This low-cost film ultimately achieved box office results 10 times higher than the investment. According to Nikkei News, movies like "The Kashmir Archive" have become "popular blockbusters" due to their involvement in the differences between Hinduism and Muslims, Hindu nationalist ideologies, and other themes that are "close" to the core agenda of the People's Party.

Another popular movie is "The Story of Kerala", which was released this year. The film tells the story of Indian women in Kerala who are forced to convert to Islam and join the extremist organization ISIS. The film made it to the Indian box office charts in just 5 days of release.

Kerala is a "special existence" in India, long ruled by left-wing political parties. And Modi's People's Party of India is the largest right-wing political party in the country. The film gave Modi room to take advantage of the situation, and he praised the film for exposing the hidden "terrorist conspiracy" in the left-wing region.

Indian media pointed out that, driven by the great success of "The Kashmir Archive", movies released before the 2024 election also include "Dr. Hajiva", "Savaka", "Saffron Flag", and so on. Many of them are themed around the Indian National Volunteer Corps. RSS is a quasi military group in India with close ties to the People's Party of India.

strategy

Writer and film historian Ajai Brahmatamaj told The Hindu newspaper, "There is no doubt that in the decades after India's independence, the left wing has had an impact on Indian cinema. Now, the right-wing People's Party hopes to create narratives around their idols before the 2024 election, using the soft power of cinema in a more direct way."

The award-winning documentary director Ahmed believes that during the 2014 and 2019 Indian elections, there were scenes of concentrated political themed films being released. Now, the ruling party is attempting to adopt this strategy in the 2024 general election.

In 2019, films such as "Tashkent Archives", "Prime Minister Modi", and "Uri: Surgical Strike" made their debut in theaters. Some of them point to the shortcomings of the opposition party, while others strive to demonstrate Modi and the People's Party's patriotic strength and courage in defending the country.

"Four years later, audiences can now look forward to the discussions and controversies caused by the resurgence of such films," said The Times of India. Indian screenwriter and editor Apwa Aslani wrote on Twitter, "Being overwhelmed by pre election promotional films. In my 23 year career, I have never seen a movie so cunningly influence voting..."

Diplomat Magazine believes that there is a "reciprocal relationship" between Bollywood and the ruling authorities - the authorities defend their dominant ideology through movies, while the publishers of political dramas receive benefits such as tax breaks. It is reported that films such as "The Kashmir Archives" and "The Story of Kerala" enjoy the aforementioned treatment in several states ruled by the People's Party of India.

Delhi film distributor De Vivati stated that many cinemas were closed and streaming became a substitute during the pandemic. Currently, the film industry, which is still in a recovery phase, is more likely to follow the government's path, and welfare policies have become attractive options.

dispute

As political themed films become increasingly normalized in election years, more people are beginning to reflect on this phenomenon.

"Every five years, a new group of voters participate in the vote, and new ideologies develop through the dissemination of such films," said Sayadb Chowdhury, Assistant Professor of Film and Literature at the University of Delhi Bedka

What worries Chowdhury is that some political themed films may be disconnected from culture and history, constructing new narratives for new voters. "The younger generation may feel that the riots in Gujarat have never occurred before."

Dr. Milinda Awad, a professor at the University of Nehru, also pointed out that the dominant political forces may control film narratives, arrange and mobilize agendas, fabricate history and data according to their own interpretations.

But some analysts also believe that India has a tradition of "clustering" political themed films during the election period. Because for both film producers and distributors, the five-year general election has a high level of attention and is an excellent opportunity to attract money. Therefore, it is natural for film producers and political parties to each take what they need during the election season.

Indian producer Sandip Singh believes that the rise of political themed films is attributed to the increasing political consciousness of the Indian people in the past few years.

"Every family wants to know what is happening in the political field, and this awakening of political consciousness is achieved through news channels and social media. Political themed movies often tell inspiring stories, stimulate nationalism and patriotism, and meet the needs of the audience in this regard," Singh said.

The Times of India stated that for some films with political tendencies, Indian viewers have become more open-minded. In December 2022, a public opinion poll showed that 46% of Indian respondents stated that movies should reflect the country's "historical and political perspective," and 61% of respondents acknowledged the government's promotion of movies they deemed important.