Bollywood And Propaganda

03-25-2005, 09:20 AM

Unless Bollywood makes movies about Chandra Shekhar Azad, Rana Pratap, Shiva Jee, Guru Govind Singh and other heroes, it is a waste of time to watch those garbage.

LOC was a good movie and it did poorly. Is there a hope for India? I hope so.

03-26-2005, 07:35 AM

We should be very clear in our minds that bollywood is as much our enemy as the Mullah-Missionary-Marxist brigade.

The majority of the people in any country are basically dumb sheep.
They will follow whoever is the most powerful leader.

Power comes when one has control over one's own mind.
The Hindu religion has dealt extensively on this subject.
Therefore the solution is to build self control through practice of Yoga.

Then we can destroy our enemies easily.

There are plenty families I know who delibrately don't even have a TV in their house. So clearly avoiding watching movies is not that hard.

03-28-2005, 12:56 PM

We seriously need some movies that address the my country, right or wrong theme.

http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.p...&pid=70&page=22

QUOTENFOTAINMENT
Patriotism in Indian Cinema
The Pratibha Advani Column

[Beginning this week, Pratibha Advani, the well-known television personality, film critic and producer of the celebrated Ananya Bharati documentary on Indian films, will write a regular column in Organiser. This column will basically focus on the infotainment industry, social issues and national concerns.]

For any self-respecting nation, patriotism of its citizens is its heartbeat. If it is there, not only is the nationâs continued existence across centuries and millennia guaranteed, but its progressive evolution is also ensured. If it is not there, the nation suffers decline, debility and eventual doom.

India is fondly known by its people as BHARAT. The name harks back to its epic past, whose beginnings have defied determination. Hence, India evokes a sense of timelessness. Of course, India has been changing perpetually ever since its hoary antiquity. It has also suffered such vicissitudes of history as have pushed several other ancient nations and civilisations into extinction. How then has India faced all these internal changes and external assaults, and yet managed to remain alive as a vibrant and ascendant nation in the 21st century? The answer is patriotismâthe common emotion and self-awarenessâthat unites our people in spite of the unmatched diversity they exhibit.

Few can contest Indian cinemaâs, particularly Hindi cinemaâs, unmatched contribution to strengthening the bonds of national integration, countering divisive feelings, educating the people about our shared national history.

As an art form that strikes the chords of both emotion and intellect, the power of cinema is unmatched. Naturally, Indian cinema has contributed immensely to the cultivation of this uniting and uplifting feeling of nationalism. Patriotic films, as a special and much-admired genre of Indian cinema, have had a tremendous impact on our people, cutting across religious, regional, linguistic and economic identities. Moreover, they have also proved their unsurpassed power of communicating both to the educated and illiterate masses.

For most Indians, cinema is the enduring source of the image of their nation as a vast and diverse land bound by the Himalayas in the north, surrounded by oceans on three sides, girdled by sacred rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna and Godavari, and blessed with captivating natural beauty and rich resources. For them it is also the primary source of knowledge about our national heroes, martyrs, the struggles and sacrifices of our forefathers, the work of our social reformers, the wars of the pre- and post-Independence era, including the recent and ongoing war against cross-border terrorism, and our achievements as a free and democratic nation.

Thus, few can contest Indian cinemaâs, particularly Hindi cinemaâs, unmatched contribution to strengthening the bonds of national integration, countering divisive feelings, educating the people about our shared national history and through all this, reinforcing in them pride and love for the motherland.

Ananya Bharati is a documentary that encapsulates the spirit of patriotism that the Hindi film industry has captured on celluloid and nurtured in the hearts of Indians. Produced under the banner of my company, Swayam Infotainment, I thought the most apt beginning to this documentary would be ace musician A.R. Rahman bowing to the motherland with his rendition of Maa tujhe salaam. This forms a part of his album Vande Mataram produced by Bharat Bala Pictures. Then Ananya Bharati categorises Indian patriotic films primarily into three categories. The first category comprises of films associated with terrorism. The second features films about martyrs of the freedom struggle and events linked to the Partition of the country and the third category has war films that depict the India-Pakistan conflict.

Ananya Bharati also talks about films about nation-building, like the recently released Swades. The documentary concludes with an emotional punch in the form of a bouquet of patriotic songs that have captured the national imagination.

Patriotic Films: The Beginning
The Hindi film industryâs adoption of patriotic themes happened at its very inception, when India was engaged in a unique struggle for freedom from the British colonial rule. The first film which boldly ventured in this direction was Sohrab Modiâs Sikandar. This 1941-film carried the message of patriotism indirectly by praising the valour of King Porus in his war against Alexander the Great, the invader. Other films of this era were Bandhan (1940) and Kismet (1943).

When freedom dawned on August 15, 1947, ending 200 years of alien rule, the Indian film industry was there to celebrate this historic transition. The air those days was filled with the hopes and dreams of building a new India, most inspiringly articulated by our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Bollywood captured this mood in films like Naya Daur (1957) and Hum Hindustani (1960). Anandmath (1952), Jagriti (1954) and Leader (1964) focused on the freedom struggle and the sacrifices made by its martyrs. Some others like Sikander-e-Azam (1965) and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960), through their songs, talked about the greatness of India. Then there were films that were inspired by the violation of the countryâs barriers by the enemies. Three notable films made on the subject were Haqeeqat (1964), Prem Pujari (1970) and Lalkaar (1972). Of these, Haqeeqat, which is about the Chinese aggression in 1962, has left a lasting impact.

The decade of â80s saw India faced with a peculiar form of warâa proxy war from across the border in the form of terrorism.

Films on Terrorism
The decade of â80s saw India faced with a peculiar form of warâa proxy war from across the border in the form of terrorism. First, it cast its evil eye on Punjab, bleeding it for nearly a decade before being snuffed out. Then it targetted Jammu & Kashmir. The perpetrators of this proxy war were also behind extremism and terrorism in Indiaâs northeast. Films that dealt with the issue not only portrayed the barbaric face of terrorism, but also exposed the misleading propaganda that sought to justify it through direct and indirect support for it.

Some of the important films in this category are: Karma by the great showman Subhash Gahi, and Maachis by lyricist and film-maker Gulzar. While Karma emphasized the need for fortifying the countryâs commitment to overpower terrorism, Maachis was a very sensitive portrayal of how some youth of Punjab were misled into taking to the gun. Another memorable film from this period is renowned film-maker Mani Ratnamâs Roja (1993), which also introduced a new melody in Hindi films songs and by a talented young music composer, A.R. Rahman. Vidhu Vinod Chopraâs Mission Kashmir, tackling the same theme, sought to revive the forgotten concept of Kashmiriyat. Two other films set against the same backdrop of terrorism in KashmirâThe Hero (2003) and Zameen (also 2003) eulogised the bravery of Indian soldiers and undercover agents in overpowering the enemy in his own stronghold.

Mani Ratnam re-visited this theme in his 1998-film Dil Se. The following year saw the release of another powerful film, Sarfarosh by John Mathew Matthan, which is a tribute to those patriotic police officers who fearlessly fight social evils. As an attempt to boost the morale of the much-maligned security forces, it was a highly commendable film.

Refugee (2000) by J.P. Dutta, who specializes in making patriotic films with a mega star-cast, stands out for touching upon an interesting subject: the buffer zone on both sides of the Indo-Pak border, where people have their own definition of patriotism, and how terrorists take advantage of such a situation. The film also saw the launching of two star-childrenâAmitabh Bachchanâs son Abhishek and Randhir Kapoorâs daughter Kareena Kapoor, both of whom have moved on to become mega stars themselves.

utepian · 03-29-2005, 08:09 PM

Richard Gere in Shekhar Kapur's Buddha film

March 28, 2005 17:17 IST

Shekhar Kapur hopes to rope in Hollywood biggies Richard Gere, Sharon
Stone and Goldie Hawn for his Rs 500 crore film on Buddha. The yet-
untitled film is scheduled for a 2006 release.

According to the president of the Mahabodhi Society of India, Dr
Bhupendra Kumar Modi, the script is nearing completion at
Dharamshala, abode of the Dalai Lama, as Kapur wanted to back his
project with 'authentic and in-depth research.'

"The film, co-produced by MCorpGlobal, aims to be an honest and
authentic portrayal of the life of the Buddha through his childhood
as Siddhartha, as a monk and as Tathagat after he attained
enlightenment," Modi said.

The movie, he added, would not ruffle any feathers in the Buddhist
community; Kapur's earlier ventures like Bandit Queen and Elizabeth
have courted controversy.

The film, which has been given a formal approval by the Dalai Lama,
would uphold the Buddha's message of equality and peace.

The script for the over two-hour long film is being readied by
Buddhist scholar Dr Deepak Chopra, American writer Melissa Mathison
and Kapur himself.

While Modi's firm will chip in with $10 million, and the rest will
come from other sources. Negotiations are on with Sony for global
distribution rights.

utepian · 03-29-2005, 08:21 PM

Muslim actress kisses Hindu, sparks anger

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20...11748-5588r.htm

Not that Iam surprised and not that it is illegal for him or her but when did Mahesh Bhatt marry this Paki?

QUOTEPakistani movie star Meera, a Muslim, has been sharply criticized, sued and even threatened after it was reported she kissed a Hindu actor in a film.

The film, produced by Meera's husband, Mahesh Bhatt, has not yet been publicly released, but was shown to critics and news media last month.

07-31-2005, 11:38 PM

Bollywood to file suit against Maharashtra Govt on floodsQUOTELeading Bollywood personalities on Sunday decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) against the Maharashtra government for its poor handling of the floods that killed nearly 400 people in Mumbai.

The move came amid growing resentment in different parts of the city over the failure of the government agencies to activate a disaster management plan to mitigate personal and commercial losses inflicted by the floods.

"We have decided to file a suit against the government in a local court on Monday for the way it handled the situation in the city," said filmmaker Vinta Nanda.

"We are citizens of this city and we have to push and motivate the system to respond in a better manner to crisis situations like the one we are facing now," Nanda said after a meeting of film personalities.

Leading Bollywood personalities like Mahesh Bhatt, Koel Puri and Neena Gupta are part of the group that will file the suit.

"There should be accountability. The authorities should look at the basic infrastructure before allowing the construction of high rises," said Nanda

08-01-2005, 03:12 AM

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' />
Not only they failed to plan ahead but also r wasting public money by going on helicopter surveys.
At a time, it was happening, the Govt machinery was in full swing to placate Rane to join him 1 of the ruling parties and swear him as Cabinet Minister as if he is going to add anything to disaster management.
<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbup.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbup.gif' />
Hats off to concerned citizens from Bollywood for initiating rite action

**shamu** · 08-01-2005, 03:13 AM

Do they want to say how Narendra Modi handled flood situation in Gujarat?

08-01-2005, 03:50 AM

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /> [FONT=Impact][SIZE=7][COLOR=red]
If a genuine action on part of Mumbaikars is to be politicised,
God save Mumbai!

08-01-2005, 07:54 PM

QUOTE(Mudy @ Jul 31 2005, 02:08 PM) Bollywood to file suit against Maharashtra Govt on floods 
Mahesh Bhatt was on ZeeTV over weekend - he's launching an NGO on this issue. Majid Memon is the advocate filing the PIL on behalf of Bhatt. Some other NGOs like Red Crescent are with him on this.

utepian · 08-01-2005, 08:29 PM

QUOTE Majid Memon is the advocate filing the PIL on behalf of Bhatt. Some other NGOs like Red Crescent are with him on this.

Already? The guy took a bullet on his chest just 10 days back.

08-01-2005, 09:07 PM

QUOTE(utepian @ Aug 1 2005, 10:59 AM) <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE Majid Memon is the advocate filing the PIL on behalf of Bhatt. Some other NGOs like Red Crescent are with him on this.

Already? The guy took a bullet on his chest just 10 days back. </div>
That's what Bhatt said on TV. Unless there's another Majid Memon.

08-02-2005, 12:28 AM

utepian:
QUOTEAlready? The guy took a bullet on his chest just 10 days back. 

See link

QUOTEThe flooding forced Bollywood production companies to cancel film shoots. A group of powerful directors said they planned to sue Maharashtra's government, alleging it failed to prepare the city and responded too slowly when the rains began â charges that officials deny.

"We are seeking the court's intervention to protect the citizens' rights to life and property," said Majid Memon, a lawyer representing the group.

So it's another Majid Memon or it's Allaha's blessing that this guy recovered within 10 days.

Bharatvarsh · 08-06-2005, 08:22 PM

QUOTEAamir speaks out on alienation as a Muslim
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, August 5, 2005
It was not until the late 1980s and early 1990s that Aamir Khan became conscious of his identity as a Muslim when the "rightwing in India really started whipping up negative feelings" and things changed, says the actor.

"It was in these circumstances that I became conscious. At times it made me feel very lost, alienated," Aamir says in an exhaustive interview in the current issue of Tehelka magazine.

It kept getting worse as time went by, and the first change for the better was when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost the election. "It really made me proud to be a part of a society where the common man has the ability to decipher for himself what he sees as not good," the cerebral star of films as diverse as Lagaan and Dil Chahta Ha says.

Discussing the traumatic events of Gujarat, Aamir admits that he would have spoken out at the time if he was a Hindu by religion. "But because I am a Muslim, I wasn't sure how my thoughts would be represented, and how they would be received."

At the same, he asks, in which other society would you have a situation where the rightwing is on the rise - but the top three stars of the film world are Muslims - "....and is succeeding to quite a degree in poisoning people's minds".

Though strangely no one has asked him for his opinion on international events like the London blasts, the actor is unsparing in his condemnation of terror acts - and scathing in his criticism of US President George Bush who is "probably killing many more people and destroying many more innocent lives".

Aamir, famous for not attending awards, says bluntly that he used to. "But then strange things began to happen... Some 50,000 awards cropped up, everyone got one, and every year five new categories were added... Now it's not an award night, it's a programme designed to collect stars to generate advertisement time. I'm not interested in taking part in something like this. It's too childish for me."

He says candidly that the most traumatic period of his life has been his divorce, but shies away from discussing his relationships saying: "I don't feel I have to explain myself."

About his famously obsessive perfectionist streak and how he might be manoeuvred into feeling defensive about his working style, he says: "In fact, I feel the process of working is as important as the end result. We must enjoy the process. Or it's not worth it. This is how I know to work. I don't know any other way to work."

According to Aamir, his choice of films are dictated by the script, but also by things happening around, social issues.

His next Mangal Pandey - The Rising, his first film after Lagaan, is one such work. "The events might have happened in 1857, but the issues are very relevant, even today. The film is essentially about the concept of freedom and it questions the right of any superpower or society to move into another society and take it over. This is precisely what's happening today with countries like America moving into Iraq and Afghanistan, or earlier, into Vietnam."

Aamir relates at length how he finally agrees to work with a director. "I spend a lot of time with them. I watch their other work, I discuss films, life, completely unrelated stuff. I need to know I'm on the same wavelength. I need a comfort level."

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1453541,0011.htm

So there u go, Amir Khan is another p-sec moron, my request is for Hindus to avoid his movies, if u think u have to watch them get some pirated copies and watch them.

08-07-2005, 11:00 AM

Why no feeling for Kashmiri Pandits or Sikh violence against Hindus in 80 or continues aggression by Muslim against Hindus in India? His only concern about his own religion but others if show same concern they are called as fanatic or right wing. These sullahs will never change.

08-07-2005, 10:50 PM

I never watch any bollywood movies. They are waste of money and time. Only good movie they made was LOC. I watched it. I do not even know who most of these actors or actresses are and I do not care to know.

Shambhu · (This post was last modified: 08-07-2005, 11:50 PM by Shambhu.)

But do watch "Sheen"..it is very proIndia, shows the ethnic cleansing of Pandits from the Valley..and clearly shows the 100% involvement of and incitement by TSP in the killings..and has all new face actors, so no worry about D supporters..

08-11-2005, 09:57 PM

BJP's UP unit seeks ban on Mangal PandeyQUOTEBJP on Thursday demanded an immediate ban on forthcoming film Mangal Pandey -- The Rising accusing the producers showing falsehood and indulging in character assassination of the freedom fighter.

"The film shows that Pandey was born in London, which is a lie," state BJP spokesman SS Dung claimed on Thursday.

"The whole country knows that Mangal Pandey was born in Ballia," he said.

Dung said the Aamir Khan-starrer shows Pandey visiting the house of a prostitute, which was nothing but character assassination.

Demanding an immediate ban on the film, he said stern action should be taken against the producer and director of the movie.

08-12-2005, 07:53 PM

QUOTEThe Bollywood style is so bouncy and optimistic, however, that it's difficult to sustain the effect of an oppressed nation when everyone, even untouchables and slave girls, all appear so jolly. The social message gets a bit lost amid all the happy singing people.â  <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ohmy.gif' />
Hatchet job?

Bharatvarsh · 08-13-2005, 07:52 AM

QUOTEMangal Pandey screening cancelled in Ballia

August 12, 2005 16:52 IST

Screening of the Amir Khan-starrer 'The Rising' was cancelled in the birthplace of Mangal Pandey on Friday in the wake of protests that the film "distorted historical facts" and had no reference to his ancestral village - Nagwa.

Local stage artistes and intellectuals have been staging 'dharnas' in front of Vijay cinema hall in Ballia for the past two days following which the hall management cancelled the screening of the film, slated for release today.

Protestors also damaged a shop selling cassettes and CDs of the film in the district, besides stalling a goods train on way to Chhappra in neighbouring Bihar for about half-an-hour and staged a sit-in on Ballia-Barriya highway.

Officials, however, said, "No one will be allowed to disturb the peace in the name of opposing the film and any attempt to create a law and order situation would be dealt with firmly." The district administration was keeping a close watch on the situation, they added.

http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/aug/12mangal.htm

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