Now, patriots fight the corrupt
V. GANGADHAR
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Films on nationalism focussed on the British and freedom struggle. But today, the trend is movies such as ‘Chak De India’ or ‘Rang De Basanti.’
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Loyalty to values: Chak De India.
The same old rituals, as one more Independence Day came and went. The hoisting of flag at the Red Fort, the Prime Minister’s speech, security everywhere and the TV channels showing the same old films on nationalism. Cricket captain M. S. Dhoni exhibited his patriotism by putting on hold his endorsement shootings and visiting the Front to rub shoulders with the jawans, courtesy a TV channel.
Every Indian is expected to display his loyalty on this day and cinema is no exception. Over the years, Hindi cinema has had a slot for patriotic films, filled with sentimental songs and dances. The trend is now slowly changing.
Making such films in the late 1940s and 1950s was easy. There was the common, very visible enemy, the British, and the struggle to oust them, and this offered innumerable tales and options for movie-making.
Trend-setter
Rang De Basanti.
‘Shaheed,’ (1940s) the Dilip Kumar-Kamini Kaushal starrer, was a trend-setter, but even popular ones such as ‘Kismet’ and ‘Bandhan’ spread the nationalistic messages through hit songs such as ‘Dhoor hato dhoor hato duniyawalon, Hindustan hamara hai’ and ‘Chal chal re naujawan.’
Comes a war or even a border conflict, the patriotic feelings receive a boost. An example is Chetan Anand’s interesting movie, ‘Haqeeqat.’ This multi-starrer was inspired by the 1962 Chinese aggression. It was well received.
Actor Jackie Shroff , who was deeply moved by the sacrifices of Indian officers and jawans, did films such as ‘Border,’ ‘1942 — A Love Story’ and ‘Refugee.’ His role of an Indian Air Force officer in ‘Border’, he felt, inspired many young men to seek a career in the Air Force.
Realism and action
Hollywood too made movies in the same genre but relied more on action and realism. They did not avoid controversies either as in ‘Patton,’ where the war hero is full of contradictions. Later, they also portrayed the evil aspects of war, which did not have patriotism as its focus, namely, the two Vietnam movies, ‘The Deer Hunter’ and ‘Apocalypse Now.’
Clint Eastwood gave an entirely new take on war and patriotism in his ‘Letters From Iwo Jima.’
Manoj Kumar, another maker of this genre of films (such as ‘Mr. Bharat’), switched tracks after acting in the conventional ‘Shaheed,’ to make the rather garish but successful ‘Purab Aur Paschim.’ Based on the brain drain problem, it brought home the message that being Indian is the best. Actors’ such as Farooque Shaikh rates highly M. S. Sathyu’s ‘Garam Hawa’ that pivots on the partition.
Good moviemakers equate today’s patriotism with nationalism and rates ‘Rang De Basanti,’ ‘Swades,’ ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Chak De India’ highly. These films not only promote faith in one’s ability and talent but also underline the point that national unity will lead to national strength and that patriotism can be displayed by fighting corruption or the lure of the dollar.
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