Reduced to strange fiction!
Noise made prior to and after the release of the film Padmaavat compels one to deliberate on which direction are such means of entertainment headed for? Ahead of its release, sections described as extremist elements, raised their voice against it on account of facts having been distorted in the movie. So, does this suggest that Bollywood movies should be totally research- oriented, based on facts and not diverse from reality? Interestingly, the nature of caste- oriented opposition to the movie’s release has strongly exposed the degree to which social schisms of this nature can be exploited to ensure that they are paid attention. Yes, some of these extremists have not even refrained from targeting a school bus, destroying property, threatening jauhar and so forth if the movie was released.
If these elements had not resorted to these measures, it is debatable whether they would have attracted much attention. Yes, some importance should perhaps be given to the view that negative campaign of this nature was probably deliberately exercised as a propaganda device. Whether it was or not, the hard fact is that the Karni Sena’s opposition to the release of the movie certainly earned it substantial publicity.
Give it a thought, caste factor still plays a prominent role in India, socially, politically and economically. And it seems to have worked fairly effective for this movie. Quite a few politicians have claimed to have no objection to this movie and have also discussed the issue among fellow politicians of the same caste ( Rajput). This seems equivalent to their seizing the opportunity to let the rest of the country know about their castebackground. Of course, all have the right to their own respective individual, social, political, cultural, regional, national, international and whichever identity they can lay claim to. But there is a difference between this and asserting it in various ways. Some have chosen to do it violently in a destructive manner and others by asserting it with a sense of pride. It comes as a relief, for now, as the Karni Sena has decided to withraw their protest. Hope this decision lasts.
Indians appear to be well- versed in the art of using just any occasion to propagandise what they feel may prove to be fairly advantageous for them. Little or no attention was paid to property and/ or lives of those being targeted, when the Karni Sena resorted to violence. This is India, where fiction can play strange games and also be exploited strangely by different sections of people primarily for their own sake.
Seriously speaking, this is 2018 and not the age when the small screen was almost revered in most homes. Around three decades ago, when the religious serial Ramayana was telecast, actors in their roles as “deities” were worshipped by quite a few people. After three decades, several dozen channels with several religious serials are telecast. Entertainment on television, through mobile, Internet, etc. has come a long way from what it was in 1980s. The question of now most people easily equating what is depicting on the small and/ or large screen with reality has ceased to prevail. Rather they have become fairly critical and are well aware of “fake news”, “fake videos”, etc. circulating through social media.
Now, against this background, how seriously can the viewers be expected to take noise made about jauhar in the controversial movie? In fact, this issue is being given great importance, suggesting the seriousness with which fiction can be taken at certain levels. Well, each individual has the right to his/ her interpretation of jauhar. At present, there is no Khilji around nor is this the medieval period. But yes, let us also look at reality with an equally critical eye. Nirbhaya did not die out of her choice. Bilkis Bano, a survivor of Gujarat carnage gangrape, has fought to secure justice. Stigma is attached with the name of rapists of these ladies.
A movie needs to be taken first as a movie than anything else, and certainly not a research- oriented thesis. Hype has been and will continue to be raised in most movies about so many things. This happens to be key marketing agenda of movie producers. They are doing just what everyone else does in a bid to promote the image of what/ who they desire to. Socio- economic claims made by politicians often turn out to be nothing but hype. But there is a difference. Politicians want what they claim to be accepted as truth. Though the same cannot be said about movies, when controversies are raised about them, it adds a strange touch to their fictional value!
The writer is a senior journalist. She has come out with two books Ayodhya Without the Communal Stamp and Image and Substance: Modi’s First Year in Office