Facts and fiction
"Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls" — so said the Swedish film director and screenwriter Ingmar Bergman. Soul-stirring narratives woven through a complex interplay of storyline, cinematography, dialogues and music, added with a pinch of drama elements, can break and shape the perception of vulnerable minds seeking to side with any particular side of the socio-political spectrum.
Audiences, as argued by many, are active in nature; they don’t straightaway swallow the narratives presented before them. They apply their own mind, experience, and the context to set things in a unique perspective. However, the activity and passivity of audiences should not be seen in binary terms; there lies a broad spectrum on which any particular audience can be located, based on her/his age and socio-political context.
To further complicate the issue, film is an expensive medium (in terms of making). It involves a humongous capital, and seeks profitable returns from the market of audiences. In course of doing so, filmmakers, irrespective of their own biases, are more often compelled to align with the dominant narratives, political or otherwise. This is where propaganda films emerge on the horizon. Against this backdrop, it becomes very important to delve deeper into the motives of not just the filmmakers but also the sponsors and endorsers.
India, in recent times, has witnessed an increase in films aligning with the dominant political ideology of the day. The Kashmir Files, The Kerala Story, The Accidental Prime Minister and PM Narendra Modi are just a few examples. In fact, in the run-up to General Elections 2024, more such films are scheduled to be released. Article 370, which the Indian Prime Minister mentioned during his recent Kashmir visit — indicating that it would present true perspective on the subject matter — is an example in case. Trailer of another soon-to-be-released film, The Bastar Story, prima facie appears to castigate JNU for celebrating the death of martyrs who died while fighting against Naxalites in the region. This, again, is a narrative aligned with that of right-wing leaders and political workers.
Certainly, there is nothing wrong in utilising the film medium to express facts and fiction in a creative manner. But one has to call apples and oranges by their respective names. There are two main concerns arising out of the ongoing streak of right-wing political films. Firstly, the timing of the films is crucial as they might be an attempt to sway votes in a particular direction by appealing to the emotional quotient of audiences. Secondly, and most importantly, these films are part fiction, part fact and propaganda.
The adamance of filmmakers to present these as truth is disturbing. After facing backlash from critics and reviewers, some of the films were forced to modify the disclaimer, but that might not be enough to caution a large section of audiences that is illiterate or doesn’t bother to go through disclaimers. The situation is compounded by political endorsements by popular leaders, which then creates a wave of acceptance for dangerously unsubstantiated and half-truths.
Making of such films cannot be stalled as long as they abide by the rulebook. However, a more responsible approach is required on the part of political figures to abstain from endorsing unsubstantiated claims. The courts and certification authorities should maintain a critical outlook to oversee the divisive effects of the art form on society. In the end, one has to rely on the wisdom of the audiences, but immediate effects of propaganda films cannot be discounted. To quote Jean-Luc Godard, "Cinema is a tool for political propaganda only when it's not conscious of being a tool for political propaganda."
