Indian Screen Cultures and the Redefinition of Nationhood: The Evolution of Contemporary Productions and the Myth of ‘National Security’

Abstract

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes1 It is imperative to note here that when we speak of Indian films, we must take into account the fact that there is some amount of film production in every major Indian language and there are at least six important non-Hindi film industries: Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu.2 In 1960, the government set up the Film Finance Corporation, which merged with the Motion Picture Export Association in 1980 to form the National Film Development Corporation, for financing and exporting films, and in 1961established the Film Institute in Poona. In 1973, the government established the Directorate of Film Festivals, shoes brief was to organize the annual International Film Festival.3 Explicating the armed struggle in Iran, Jazani (Citation1979) delineates the role of the “guerrilla” and exhorts the prospective guerrilla from falling prey to adventurism in the form of “too much emphasis on the role of the ‘fedaee’, resorting to constant invocations of ‘martyrdom’ to offset the absence of a mass movement, and the belief that the sacrifice of blood is sufficient for the start of the revolution”. The reference to “fedaee” or “fidayeen” is significant for observers of terrorist violence in the twentieth century, particularly in the post-September 11 scenario.4 Bush, W. Stephen, “Motion Picture Men Greet President,” Moving Picture World (12 February 1916), pps. 923+. “First Board of Trade Banquet, Attended by President Wilson, Marks New Era in Industry,” Motion Picture News (12 February 1916), 817–18.5 Universal advertisement, Moving Picture World (5 May 1917), 706. Ibid, 810. Universal advertisement, ibid, 820. Moving Picture World (3 August 1918), 703. “Shot ‘Beast of Berlin,’” Variety (12 April 1918), 47.6 How Indian cinema helped fight fascism during World War II (newslaundry.com)7 For a detailed understanding of the categorization refer to Mamdani (Citation2002) and Sengupta (Citation2020).8 Sengupta (Citation2019).9 Daiya (Citation2008, 178).10 “‘Gadar’ at Agra,” The Hindu, Sunday July 15, 2001.11 “‘Gadar’ at Agra,” The Hindu, Sunday July 15, 2001 cited in Daiya (Citation2008).12 Daiya.13 Daiya, 165.Additional informationNotes on contributorsRoshni SenguptaRoshni Sengupta is Associate Professor, School of Modern Media, UPES, India.Amaresh JhaAmaresh Jha is Associate Professor, School of Modern Media, UPES, India.Devanjan KhuntiaDevanjan Khuntia is an independent researcherPavan KumarPavan Kumar is Assistant Professor, Ambedkar University, New Delhi, India.Kaustav PadmapatiKaustav Padmapati is Assistant Professor, School of Modern Media, UPES, India.