As India’s Elections Draw Near, Bollywood Mobilizes To Promote Hindu Nationalism
NEW DELHI — As India’s nearly one billion voters get ready to pick their national government in general elections, a months-long process slated to start this Friday, Bollywood — India's largest film industry — is experiencing a notable increase in support for the government that’s currently in power.
With nearly a dozen releases timed strategically around the electoral period, Indian cinema is amplifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party's Hindu nationalist political agenda. The slew of new films — ahead of the vote in the world’s largest democracy — are helmed by major production houses that rely on storylines that overtly either promote Modi and his government’s policies or target rival politicians.
“This will have implications on the Indian film industry to some extent because conducting an impact study of the audience is not easy,” said Anugyan Nag, Assistant Professor of Film, Media and Cultural Studies at AJK MCRC Jamia Millia Islamia. “Cinema operates on market logic and filmmakers who are unwilling to produce such films may feel compelled to do so in order to survive.”
READ: Amid Earthquake Rubble, Turkish Churches Work Together To Build Foundations
General elections will be held in India from April 19 to June 1 to elect the 543 members of the country’s parliament. The elections — held over a period of 44 days — will be conducted over seven phases and the results will be announced on June 4.
One of the most-recent releases is a biographical film about Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a controversial figure in Hindu nationalism. Known for his divisive views, Savarkar’s writings have often stirred debates due to their promotion of violence against Muslims and his sympathetic stance towards Nazi Germany and Italian fascism.
These films draw a striking comparison between the current strategy of the Indian government and Nazi propaganda tactics. In fact, cinema has historically served as a tool for nation-building. In this case, experts said, the Modi government is leveraging filmmakers and content to propagate the BJP’s nationalistic agenda.”
Savarkar is revered by Hindutva nationalists as a patriot and condemned by others for his controversial ideologies. The film delves into Savarkar's life, portraying his journey from a revolutionary freedom fighter against British colonial rule to a divisive political figure whose writings and actions continue to spark intense debate. Savarkar's advocacy for Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism, is central to the narrative, highlighting his vision of India as a Hindu nation despite being a multi-ethnic democracy.
Ira Bhaskar, a recently-retired professor who taught cinema studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said he has profound concern over the current wave of films.
“I have never seen in my career things like these,” he said. “These films have a deep seated prejudice against Muslims.”
“Article 370,” released on Feb. 23, had a massive opening collection.The film, which grossed $4.6 million worldwide in the first three days of its release, presents an unapologetic glorification of Modi’s decision to revoke the Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region, and downgrade it from a state to a union territory. In the film, Modi is depicted as a resolute leader who is portrayed as safeguarding India from violence and corruption by taking this decisive action.
The portrayal of events in this film has drawn criticism for its distortion of historical facts and its failure to provide a factual perspective on the situation in Kashmir. In spite of that, Modi in his recent speech has praised the film.
The recent surge of movies supporting the government reminds some of what happened before the 2019 election. At the time, there was a biographical film released about Modi that showed him very positively.
“The producers of these films are mostly one-time filmmakers because after the movie gets released, these people fade away,” said Bhaskar. “I personally don't have concrete proof, but it's evident that money is being funnelled to fund these films.”
A report by The New Yorker in 2022 unveiled that in 2019, the government established a media unit in Mumbai — purportedly to collaborate not only with the film industry but also with journalists, the music business and other sectors.
Subsequent to this, a series of films emerged — including “The Kashmir Files,” which gained significant attention for its portrayal of the brutal eviction of Kashmiri Pandits from a distinct and polarized Hindu nationalist perspective — became one of the highest-grossing releases of 2022. “The Kerala Story,” which furthered narratives aligned with the government's Hindutva agenda while fueling Islamophobic sentiments, painted Muslims in Kerala as a threat to the state's social fabric and cultural identity.
Nag also highlighted the extensive number of films in production that overwhelmingly portray the ruling government in a positive light.
“There are some 28 to 29 films in the pipeline that support and excessively show the ruling government in a positive light,” Nag said.
He pointed out a prevailing sentiment of nationalism and patriotism among the public, adding, “Among the public, there is a specific tone of nationalism and patriotism and these films now sanction the majoritarian spirit.”
Another film targeting Jawaharlal Nehru University — renowned for its left-wing ideology and activism — titled “Jahangir National University” and released in April depicts a campus where leftists engage in activities associated with the disproved conspiracy of “love jihad” against Muslims and “urban naxals” attempting to divide India.
“This is a clear attempt to create a negative image of JNU, an attempt to vilify an educational institution which has a history of calling the government to account,” Bhaskar said.
Two other films out this spring, “Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra” and “The Sabarmati Report,” claim to “reveal” the “real story” behind the Godhra train burning of 2002, where 59 Hindu pilgrims died in a fire that was the spark for anti-Muslim riots orchestrated by Hindu right-wing groups that claimed over 2,000 lives, mostly Muslims. The riots happened when Modi was the state’s chief minister and found directly responsible.
“In a country where hate is being spread, these propaganda films undoubtedly are going to fuel more chaotic communal discrimination and violence,” said Shumais Nazar, 26, a student at the Film and Television Institute of India.
He added, “Today, if a filmmaker has no work, a very cheap hack is to adhere to making one of these vulgar propaganda films. Filmmakers aiming to create honest cinema are encountering challenges, but cinema will find its way.”
Shadab Farooq is an independent journalist based in New Delhi, India.