Patriotism - The flavour of Bollywood

"Mera Rang de basanti chola, maye rang de"...goes the lines of a popular patriotic song from the movie Bhagat Singh. We look at the history of patriotism in our films...
When the country got independence, it went through a nationalistic fervour and hence films like Haqeeqat based on the Indo-China war saw movie goers throng cinema halls. This Chetan Anand directed film starring legends like Balraj Sahni had songs that could bring any Indian���s blood to a boil even today.Eveb today, almost any movie goer seems to know the film inside out. Even the film Upkaar, starring Manoj Kumar churned gold at the box office with its nationalistic message.
From the social agony and outrage felt during Partition to the throes of homelessness post it - nationalistic films were Bollywood's favourite theme. Kumar���s Purab Paschim was a telling narration of the country���s Western influence. Even as the hippie culture gained strong foothold within the society���s nervous system, Purab Paschim emphasised on how it was important to not give up one���s traditions.
Cut to present day Bollywood. The slickly made Rang De Basanti portrayed the angst of the unemployed, disillusioned youth despite its tryst with money and fame. The educated classes questioning their rights within the country made for an explosive plot. However, despite everything going for the film, it ended with a rather bizarre message, of killing if wrong wasn���t made right.
Says yesteryear actor Dharmender, ���The films in the 50s/60s were cult movies. It never went out against any class or creed. There were tangible emotions attached to every character and plot. The hero could be a disillusioned soul, but he would put his duty for the nation before everything else. This is one of the most important differences in today���s films. Though they are all very well packaged, they lack a soul. It���s not just about good songs and dances, or having patriotic dialogues. They don���t believe in what they are saying and that shows.���
Films that are based on historical figures like Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel also seem to losing their fan following. And even as movies like Border, and Lagaan were crowd-pleasers, most modern-day patriotic films lack a good storyline with patriotism woven finely into them.
Says Rang De... director, Rakyesh Mehra, ���The film was a personal journey of what I felt when I was growing up in Delhi. It brought out the diseased condition of the nation. Yesteryear films, were mostly based on emotions running high where the country was concerned, but films now tone down that level of emotion so that the message is conveyed subtly.���
Modern-day patriotic films thrive on current issuses threatening the stability of the nation such as terror attacks and communal divides. The latest film on the patriotic block, A Wednesday based on terrorism however reinstated the ability of the common man. The hero of this film, played by Naseeruddin Shah, proved that even a common man could fight the enemies of the country that is, the terrorists. Even as A Wednesday veered around the common man, another recent hit Mumbai Mari Jaan explored the aftermath of the bomb blasts in the local trains of Mumbai.
Actor Soha Ali Khan says, ���Today the country is facing all kinds of threats. There is no longer any guarantee that something will not happen and any one could be hurt in it. Initially, there were only certain men/women who were moved by patriotism and loyalty towards the country. However, now, especially after the serial bomb blasts and the Mumbai attacks, everyone has become touchy when it comes to the nation. Today, people are more aware that independence was hard gained and thus should not be taken for granted any more. And films depict the same.���
One of the more recent films that brought out the gap between people and their nation was Lage Raho Munnabhai. Even as it kept Mahatma Gandhi at its fore, the film explored corruption, vandalism, bureaucracy at its best. According to Abbas Tyrewala, who scripted the original Munnabhai, the sequal showcased the degradation of the country. ���How many people today are aware of what Mahatma Gandhi did for the nation, his power, his determination and non violent way of gaining what was right? That���s the main diffrence in the films today. The yesteryear movies did not want to experiment, they followed the tried and tested way mostly because they feared contempt from the viewers.
However today, film makers are fearless and are not afraid to walk on the path less travelled. They are willing to take up subjects, even if it brings a lot of censure because they know the audience wants the truth out in the open and not served in a silver platter with garnishing.���
So, as Bollywood continues to evolve, here's raising a toast to our nation!