Films showcase tales based on ancient India

OVER the past few years, some film producers in India have been using a mix of mythology, history, commonly-held perceptions and superstition in some of their blockbusters.

For instance, Jodha-Akbar was followed by Mohanjodaro, and currently the Tamil/ Telugu blockbuster, Bahubali, showcases some entertaining takes on tales based on ancient India.

In as much as these films are not exact factual accounts of historical events, it seems that they do serve some academic purpose in providing alternative views, even with all their distortions.

This can overturn lots of stereotyped perceptions, especially where current politicians and right-wingers overemphasise the role of only Moghuls and British imperialism to justify present measures to punish minorities for the sins committed by the latter’s ancestors.

These films certainly provide additional possibilities, when they hint at invasions that began not just a few hundred years ago, but in some cases, thousands of years ago, with archaeological evidence that points to attacks by China, Macedonia, Russia, Iran, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Portugal and Britain.

Bahubali (parts 1 and 2) also clearly showcases the possibilities of “internal” feuds among states that were never united for any reasonable length of time as one country that is now referred to as “India”.

The stance adopted by these films, as much as being a merry mixture of ingredients, makes them equally probable as improbable, and serves as a marker to define where the concept of the caste system and protection of the cow may have begun, and even why some states are in dispute – most of which may not necessarily be simplistically explained by only more recent events like Independence and Partition.

Even for the common Indian moviegoer, or for others who might only possess a momentary interest in Indian history, these mostly pieces-of-fiction do serve to showcase India in all its totality and mythology. EBRAHIM ESSA

Durban