As India’s “festival of democracy” draws close, much is happening on the cinema front. Elections and film have developed a deep chronological link over decades with the former usually following the latter. Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a slew of 'propaganda' movies have hit the big screen and OTT platforms amid much criticism and uproar, while more such films are slated for release in the coming weeks stirring a bigger debate.
From Swatantra Veer Savarkar, Article 370, The Kerala Story, Kashmir Files to Bastar – The Naxal Story and The Vaccine War, all of these films have a pro-government narrative. The latest waiting for release is Jahangir National University, a film apparently targeted at Jawaharlal National University (JNU), known for its left-wing ideologies and activism. Many of these films promote Islamophobic conspiracies, applaud the current government's policies, and depict prominent figures in Indian history as anti-national.
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Outlook’s next issue explores politics and cinema and the ever-blurring lines between the two.
