The Media Rumble 2018: Is Political Cinema Possible In India Anymore?

So, it’s Second Media Rumble Event 2018 and I attended the last and final Panel Discussion among the Independent Filmmakers – Mr. Anurag Kashyap, Mrs. Meghna Gulzar, Mr. Neeraj Ghaywan and Mr. Rajiv Menon with Mrs. Shubra Gupta, the Critic themed ‘Neta>Abhineta’, Topic “Is political cinema possible in India anymore?”

So, attending a panel discussion and with the people who are a bunch of directors, popular in making independent cinema despite knowing the controversies and issues that rise along. It is us on one side getting to know their view and these prominent people on the other side sharing their mindset.

As per our theme and keeping in mind how active our political system becomes as soon as something comes up targeting them, we still have to be very conscious in being honest on one side and being safe on the other.

Mr. Anurag Kashyap was very straight in accepting the fact that he loves to watch cinema on big screen and would even go to the extreme of digging a hole down the floor to get his movie released on big screen. But, as its true, independent cinema doesn’t get much attention and has a short lifespan when it comes to a Friday release. Secondly, he very rightly said that which filmmaker doesn’t go through the CBFC, but it’s for the independent filmmakers the journey is a little longer than the commercial filmmakers.

His way of portraying his view was such a fun to watch and an encouragement to those aspiring to be on the other side of the camera resulting in a mixed expression of laughter and applause.

But, what comes along with the long process of CBFC is a self CBFC firm developed in the mind of filmmakers while writing or directing their film as shared by Neeraj Ghaywan, the maker of Masaan. So, many times filmmakers just try avoiding going through that long process and remold the story keeping in mind the content they are going to portray. This view was accepted by all four of them.

But, can we all deny the fact that targeting of the political system is there in Indian cinema since long and is not just limited to the independent filmmakers? Well, the police do come late, right (pun intended) as an example given by Mrs. Meghna Gulazar. The only difference is the result of how people take it and in short the mindset they keep while watching a movie. Movies which have no direct connection to politics are targeted just for the sake of creating some hue and cry, like Padmaavat as said by Meghna Gulzar, Maker of Talvar and much recent Raazi.

You want to point out movies which are not politically connected like padmaavat you will. and if you don’t want to point anything then you won’t and the police would continue to come late (pun intended), to which we all laugh.

So basically the reality is, one wants to make a film and one knows it is going to go through CBFC, even if it is politically connected or not and it is going to get targeted depending on the political system we live in.