Nationalism is interpreted in various ways across generations, and the changes are often reflected in films to good effect. Though the genre lost its mojo for a few years, the current political climate has made filmmakers pick up the theme, exploring newer dimensions of patriotism. Jingoism and verbose preaching have made way for simpler dialogues, showing more of the personal side of the protagonist and actions doing most of the talking. Bollywood seems to favour this theme more than the south.
Neeraj Pandey’s Aiyyary (Hindi) was the first this year, ringing in a fictional twist to a series of incidents that led to the Adarsh Housing Scam. The plot revolving around an army rebel who risks to expose the corrupt layers in the country, focuses on the enemies within the borders. Nationalism isn’t limited to the uniform, it indicates.
Country tales (Clockwise from above) Stills from Raazi, Parmaanu and Aiyaary
Not often do we see the the psychological issues that plague an army officer. Naa Peru Surya (Telugu) is writer-director Vakkantham Vamsi’s story of a soldier whose sole aim to work with the BSF is challenged by his anger issues. The narrative weaves in a sub-plot of an ex-serviceman’s struggle to retain the land he was granted for fighting the 1999 Kargil war. Nationalism is equated to justice here, albeit with a commercial approach.
Raazi (Hindi) is among the more interesting films, focusing on the emotional tussle of a woman caught between family and nation. A viewer goes through the journey of an Indian spy Sehmat who’s married to the son of a Pakistan army general and the risks she undertakes to protect a nation. But at what cost? Director Meghna Gulzar goes beyond religion and country in describing Sehmat’s plight who plots the downfall of her marital family. The movie takes a subtle look at this contrast between the emptiness of losing your own, and being on the winning side in a war.
Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran (Hindi) recreates the country’s journey towards becoming a nuclear state. In a film that underplays its technical jargon, director Abhishek Sharma generates enough thrills surrounding the secrecy with which the Pokhran operations are carried out. The film posits that scientific progress translates into a love of the nation. The story is shown through the eyes of a suspended officer who sees this operation as a way to give back something to his country.
Not all films have managed this mix well. If Mohan Lal’s 1971: Beyond borders (Malayalam) didn’t seem to be made for this generation owing to its outdated melodrama, Puri Jagannadh’s Mehbooba (Telugu) was an absurd blend of nationalism and humanism spanning countries and births.
Mixed results at the box office notwithstanding, filmmakers are surging ahead with a slew of projects in this genre. Abhimanyudu (Telugu, dubbed from the Tamil film Irumbu Thirai ), releasing this Friday, tells the story of an army officer who cautions citizens of their social media privacy. Director Vishnu Vardhan has teamed up with Sidharth Malhotra for a Hindi biopic on Kargil war hero Vikram Batra. Akshay Kumar’s Kesari , based on the Battle of Saragarhi focuses on an all-Sikh army that fought against Afghans in 1897. J P Dutta too isn’t done with his war dramas yet. He is coming up with Paltan , a personalised take on the 1962 India-China war.
