Swara BhaskerIt has been criticized by mother and film scholar Ira Bhaskar Aditya DharDhurandhar was discussing the politics of contemporary Indian cinema at a recent panel discussion hosted by activist writer Harsh Mander on his YouTube channel Karwan e Mohabbat.Also participating in the discussion was Harish Wankhede, Assistant Professor at the Center for Political Science Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and explored how politics, ideology and representation intersect in contemporary Indian films.
“He is an example of a Hindutva ideologically convinced filmmaker”
During the interview, Bhaskar noted the commercial success of Dhurandhar while questioning the ideological messages promoted by the film.“Let me give you the example of Dhurandhar, who is making crores at the box office. Being the latest example of this, it is also doing very well at the box office. It is an example of a film made by a filmmaker who is ideologically convinced of Hindutva and Hindutva ideology,” he said.At the same time, Bhaskar acknowledged Dhar’s filmmaking ability and described him as a competent director, maintaining that the film reflects a clear ideological position.Bhaskar also questioned whether the technical craft of a film can be separated from the ideas it conveys.“But what is technical, you know, I mean, how to divorce technique and how to separate form from content,” he said, arguing that form and content in cinema cannot be seen in isolation.
“You don’t see normal Muslims there”
The scholar further criticized the way Muslims are portrayed in the film, saying the narrative reinforces certain stereotypes.“It’s very violent. And its violence is in the service of a belief structure of an ideology that Muslims are very violent people. Pakistan is a very violent nation. You don’t see normal Muslims there. Everyone is either a terrorist or a gangster,” Bhaskar said.He also argued that films that claim to be inspired by true events present events selectively.“It is a fictional film based on real events, supposedly. And it is selective as all these films are. It will only selectively choose what to collect in the service of ideology,” he added. The discussion also touched upon the portrayal of Dalits and Muslims in Indian cinema and what these depictions reveal about the country’s political and cultural climate. The panels reflected on whether films with a focus on humanism, secularism and social equality continue to find a place in the current landscape of Indian cinema.Meanwhile, after the blockbuster success of Dhurandhar, its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, will hit theaters on March 19, with paid previews slated for March 18.
