Bollywood embraces India’s election season but are these new films entertainment or propaganda?
- Filmmakers say it makes good business sense to release movies with a political backdrop in the run-up to an election
- However, supporters of the Congress party have attempted to block the release of one film, claiming it smears the party
Bollywood filmmakers are seeking to cash in on this year’s Indian general election with a host of political movies, some of which smack of propaganda according to critics.
The Hindi film industry has a long tradition of producing politically tinged flicks but industry watchers say 2019’s offerings are more partisan than ever before.
“What we have this year are quite a few films, some of which are biopics, that appear to be uncritical and unabashedly push the agenda of a particular party, its policies and political philosophies,” said reviewer Nandini Ramnath.
The Accidental Prime Minister and Uri: The Surgical Strike were released on Friday. Films about the lives of two prominent politicians air later in January while a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also in the works.
The silver screen and politics have often intertwined in India. Many actors have become politicians while Bollywood has not shied away from tackling political issues in its plotlines.
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (Let it be, friends) became a cult classic in 1983 for its satirical takedown of corruption while 2010’s Peepli Live was praised for tackling the difficult subject of farmer suicides.