5 minutes agoAuthor: Virendra Mishra
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Films have a very deep and old relationship with politics. In the seventies, films shook the power of Delhi. The government had to ban many films. There was such a tussle between the government and the filmmakers over a film that Sanjay Gandhi had to go to jail. 'PM Narendra Modi' was to be released before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but when the opposition protested, the Election Commission stopped it at the last moment. Some films are also making headlines in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which the opposition is calling the government's propaganda.
Today we will talk about those 8 films on which there was huge political controversy. Along with this, we will also know through experts how much impact films related to politics have on the election results…
1. Kissa Kursi Ka: The film was banned during the Emergency, all prints were burnt
In the year 1975, a film 'Kissa Kursi Ka' was made. Raj Babbar played the lead role in this film of director Amrit Nahta. The film featured Indira Gandhi's Garibi Hatao slogans, sterilization scheme and large-scale campaign to kill grain-eating rats. It showed a car, the election symbol of Gangaram's party, which was about Sanjay Gandhi's Maruti project.
The government banned it during the Emergency. All the prints of the film were taken from the Censor Board office and burnt in the Maruti factory in Gurgaon (now Gurugram).
Sanjay Gandhi had to go to Tihar Jail
Janata Party government was formed in 1977. VC Shukla, the Information and Broadcasting Minister of the Indira Gandhi government, was accused of ordering the prints of the film from Mumbai and getting them burnt in Gurgaon. Sanjay Gandhi was held guilty of destroying the prints of the film.
The case regarding this went on in Tis Hazari Court of Delhi. Sanjay Gandhi was also accused of pressurizing the witnesses. The Supreme Court canceled Sanjay Gandhi's bail and sent him to Tihar Jail for a month.
The film director was MP twice from Congress and once from Janata Party.
Film director Amrit Nahta was an MP from Congress twice and Janata Party once. He joined Congress in 1962 and became Lok Sabha MP from Barmer seat in 1967. He was again elected MP from the same seat in 1971. Then he had defeated the veteran leader of Rajasthan Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Amrit Nahta left Congress and joined Janata Party in the 1977 elections. After this he became Lok Sabha MP from Pali.
2. Aandhi: Showed the rift between Indira Gandhi and her husband.
In the year 1975, writer-director Gulzar's film 'Aandhi' was also much discussed in the political circles. Media reports claimed that the film is based on the relationship between the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her husband Firoz Gandhi.
Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen were in lead roles in this film. In the story of the film, Suchitra Sen secretly marries Sanjeev Kumar. Later, due to internal disputes, she leaves her husband and child and becomes a successful leader.
After many years she meets her husband again. The two meet secretly, but their pictures go viral. The opposition tries to tarnish Suchitra's image. After this she goes to the rally and says- 'She had left her husband and child to serve the country.'
At the end of the film, Suchitra is shown winning the election.
During the Emergency, the government banned the film just a few months after its release. However, after the defeat of Congress in 1977, the Janata Party government lifted the ban on the film. This film was shown on Doordarshan.
3. Politics: Katrina Kaif was shown in Sonia Gandhi's look
In the year 2010, director Prakash Jha's film 'Raajneeti' was rejected by the Censor Board. Media reports claimed that the characters in the film were taken from the personal lives of the leaders. Katrina Kaif's character in the film was linked to Sonia Gandhi.
During an interview, Prakash Jha had said about this film, 'A lot of papads had to be rolled out to release the film. The biggest obstacle was created by the Congress Party. He felt that Katrina Kaif's character was based on Sonia Gandhi. Some members of the Congress Party came to the Censor Board screening of the film. They rejected the film and we were not given the certificate. After this I approached the tribunal, only then I was given a censor certificate.
4. PM Narendra Modi: It was scheduled to be released before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but the Election Commission banned it.
In the year 2019, just before the Lok Sabha elections, the film 'PM Narendra Modi' was going to be released. In this, the journey of Narendra Modi from coming into politics to becoming the CM of Gujarat and then the Prime Minister was shown. Vivek Oberoi played the role of Modi in this film directed by Omung Kumar.
All the opposition parties including Congress alleged that the film is being released just before the elections to influence the voters. This is a violation of the code of conduct. After this the Election Commission banned the film. The film was released on 24 May 2019 after the end of the Lok Sabha elections.
5. 'The Accidental Prime Minister: Showed Manmohan Singh as a weak Prime Minister
In the year 2019, a film 'The Accidental Prime Minister' was released. The film was based on the book 'The Accidental Prime Minister' by Sanjay Baru, who was media advisor to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The character of Manmohan Singh was played by Anupam Kher and the character of Sanjay Baru was played by Akshay Khanna. Media reports claimed that the film portrayed Manmohan Singh as a weak and puppet Prime Minister. They take all decisions after consulting Sonia Gandhi. Congress had objected to this.
Congress also raised questions about the timing of the film as it is being released just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Maharashtra Youth Congress had written a letter to the producer of the film demanding to show the film to them before its release.
Youth Congress President Satyajit Tambe had said that if the controversial scenes from the film were not removed, the Youth Congress would not allow the film to be screened anywhere in the country.
6. I am firm: Opposition alleged that this is a propaganda film of the government
Year 2024, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's biopic 'Main Atal Hoon' was released. In this, actor Pankaj Tripathi has played the role of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The film depicts important events of Atal Bihari Vajpayee from his childhood to his college life, his association with RSS, his entry into politics and his contribution as Prime Minister, such as Pokhran Test, Lahore Bus Yatra, Kargil Vijay. The film also depicts Nehru's death, Indira Gandhi becoming Prime Minister, the period of Emergency and Operation Blue Star.
Some people alleged that this film was released to spread propaganda in favor of BJP before the Lok Sabha elections. On this, Pankaj Tripathi said during an interview, 'This film is not a part of any propaganda. This film is the story of Atal ji's life and his journey to India after independence.
7. Article 370: Opposition's allegation – Propaganda to woo voters before Lok Sabha elections.
Year 2024, about a month before the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, a film 'Article 370' was released. It shows the central government's strategy to remove Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and its strategy. It also mentions the incidents in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha that took place during the discussion on abolishing this article in 2019.
The opposition also termed this film as a propaganda film. Opposition parties said that the film was released before the Lok Sabha elections for political gains.
Regarding the film, producer Aditya Dhar had said, 'The Indian audience is very smart. They know which films are propaganda and which are not. The present government does not need the support of any film to win the elections. The story of the film is based on the removal of Article 370 from Kashmir.
8. Swatantra Veer Savarkar
In the year 2024, on 22 March, the film 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar' based on the life of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was released. This film, released amid the election atmosphere, was termed by opposition parties as propaganda of the government.
On this, the film's actor and producer Randeep Hooda had said – 'This is an anti-propaganda film, which will break the false propaganda going on against Veer Savarkar. I made this film by selling my house. The party with which people are associating this film does not need my film to win the elections.
Kangana's film will be released after Lok Sabha elections
Kangana Ranaut's film 'Emergency' was earlier scheduled to release on 24 November 2023 last year, but due to the release of back to back big films, Kangana decided to release the film in 2024. Kangana has played the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in this film.
Now this film will be released on 14 June 2024. Although there was talk of releasing this film earlier, but due to the code of conduct the filmmakers extended its date. Currently, Kangana Ranaut is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh on BJP ticket.
Let us know what the critics' opinion is on films made on politics.
How much does Mumbai cinema understand about political films?
Film critic Ajit Rai says- 'Not more than 2-3 good films have been made in the last hundred years. The misfortune of political films is that in our Hindi cinema a sub inspector beats up the Chief Minister. People who do not understand politics make a film like 'Inquilab' with Amitabh Bachchan, who destroys the entire assembly with bullets. In a film like Shool, Manoj Bajpayee goes to Vidhan Bhavan and kills the MLA. This does not happen in real life and you cannot even imagine.
No political party can benefit from the film
Film critic Ajit Rai says, 'I don't think any political party has enough time to make a film for itself. For them, cinema is just a means of dancing and singing and merely gathering crowds. It would be foolish to even think that a film can get someone to vote.
How much understanding of politics do those making films on political issues actually have?
Film critic Taran Adarsh says, 'As far as I understand, there is some information. A film cannot be made without research, but only he can answer to what extent the research is true and to what extent it is false.
What is the attitude of the audience towards such films after the controversy?
On the controversies of films, film critic Taran Adarsh says, 'One thing is certain that when there is controversy, that film comes into the headlines. It becomes curious to see whether this actually happened or not?
How much understanding do the officials sitting in the Censor Board have about such films?
Taran Adarsh says, 'There is a very important panel to watch any film. The censor committee that sits there is also called the examining committee and revising committee. The names of the members who have seen the film are mentioned in the censor certificate. Apart from this, the signature of the regional officer is also there on the certificate. He has complete information related to the film.
What role do propaganda films play?
Taran Adarsh says, 'It is true that many films come under propaganda. I would like to say that people are very smart. After seeing the poster, teaser and trailer, people make up their mind whether they want to watch that film or not, but the film gets such good reports that they go to watch the film.