"PM Narendra Modi and the union government promoted movies like The Kerala Story, The Kashmir Files and Chhaava. But they did not promote Jai Bhim and Phule, which are based on actual social struggles by the marginalised communities. Why so? What is to be made out of this?" This is the question a social media user named Vaani has asked. In a polarized political environment, such questions are to be expected.
This question can be turned against other political parties and leaders as well. The DMK ecosystem in Tamil Nadu promotes only certain kinds of movies and not all. Udayanidhi Stalin has stakes in platforming certain kinds of narratives.
Lending ideological support to movies and their narratives has become a polarized issue in today's times due to increased awareness. Many times, most endorsements are not sincere at all. Actually, many movies are undeserving of political, social and academic endorsement. Jai Bhim is one such example. "Jai Bhim was inspired by true events. You know what they did? They replaced the villain who is a Christian with a Hindu," wrote Norse Code. Chhaava didn't conform to historical truths. It whitewashed a grey character like Sambhaji Maharaj. Kesari Chapter 2, starring Akshay Kumar, is based on fictional courtroom arguments.
