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‘Pak-bashing’ no more!
While channel surfing during dull moments and commercial breaks in the Sri Lanka vs India final of the Asia Cup and second England-West Indies test on August 1, I came across an Indian movie on Zee TV. A few frames effectively communicated the anti-Pakistan thrust. The title of the movie soon appeared inscribed on a corner of the screen. It was Maa Tujhe Salam, a controversial and regrettable film from the point of view of Pakistan, and obviously regarded as correct by depicting activities of infiltrators described as ‘jihadis’. They go round killing villagers in Occupied Kashmir and even murder the prayer leader of the local mosque in cold blood when he protests against the attack.
According to indications from Islamabad, the government is considering lifting a 40-year-old ban on import of Indian films in Pakistan, following a campaign by some politically connected and influential exhibitors.
Their argument that the ‘national film industry has failed to cater to the entertainment needs of the public both in terms of quality and quantity, causing the closure of exhibition halls across the country’ is valid. The government’s response seems to be in line with the change in Islamabad’s heart for New Delhi.
Meanwhile, some Indian filmmakers have started toning down aggressive anti-Pakistan scripts. A recent production, Main Hoon Na, is a case of India’s film industry adjusting its sails to the changing winds of their country’s policy towards Pakistan.
Two hurdles have blocked a quick decision. One, a spate of new movies crudely indulging in Pakistan bashing and beating the drum of Indian superiority over Pakistan at a deafening pitch; and two, not all the segments of Pakistan’s film industry and sections of public have welcomed the idea.
Film industry circles dubbed the move as another unkind cut, recalling that Pakistan’s cinema has been brought to the present state by the policies of Gen Ziaul Haq. He went out of the way to destroy the country’s film industry by imposing the registration of producers and re-censorship of previously screened movies. Furthermore, censorship imposed such stringent restrictions on filmmakers that producing meaningful films became impossible. Imported western movies, on the other hand, were treated with a different yardstick.
While the import of Indian films remained banned, two movies were allowed screening in Pakistan during the Zia regime. At the same time, Pakistan’s two joint productions with UAE and Oman were disallowed release in the country because they featured Indian artists.
There was no logic to the policies that were clearly targeted towards undermining the Pakistan film industry. The decline of Pakistani films is, however, another script. What matters here is that in their current state, they have little to offer to the people seeking entertainment on the big screen.
In this period, Indian cinema surged from strength to strength, producing qualified professionals in every area of film-making, raising production values to international standards and coming up with not merely commercially successful movies but, with the support of a democratic dispensation and a liberal society, playing a significant role in discussing and clarifying issues confronting the society as well as trying to look for solutions.
Arth Sattya, produced by India’s Film Development Corporation nearly two decades back, set the tone for issue-oriented cinema by castigating political leaders for corruption and police for the subservient role it played. From that point onwards, Indian cinema has been a major player in social reform in the country.
Such opportunities have, however, been denied to Pakistan’s filmmakers by autocratic administrations that abhorred any kind of criticism, sought political sustenance from vested interests and feudal elements, and used state resources to repress the public.
With the backing of the government and its vast intellectual, financial and technological resources, Indian cinema developed a world-wide following, became a vital link between the country and its immigrants, functioned as a vehicle for the promotion of Indian arts and culture and served as its propaganda wing. Successive Indian governments realized the reach of the medium and exploited it to the hilt for promoting social, cultural, political and economic interests of the state and to use it for propagating state policies. Administrations in Pakistan that had discouraged issue-oriented cinema and played havoc with a movie on the Kashmir dispute by the late writer-director Riaz Shahid in the 1960s, forcing him to redo some vital sequences to synchronize with the unstated policy of the government, have become if anything more intolerant of candid views and uninhibited expression over the years.
The propaganda cinema of India has been marked with a venomous streak in films with a reference to Pakistan. A number of films directly and contemptuously anti-Pakistan content have also been produced. Maa Tujhe Salam and Sarfarosh were made some time back. Recent films include LoC Kargil, a multi-million rupee production supported with state resources, Deewar and Lakshya, to name a few from across the border. Pakistan is accorded stray condemnatory comments, even in movies with purely domestic themes.
For instance, Dev is a new Indian film of stark realism, courageous, mature and unbiased political comment. It is an authentic statement on Indian democracy and freedom of expression, with top stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri, Amrish Puri, Fardeen Khan and Kareena Kapur tackling the brutal treatment of Muslims by extremist Hindu elements and ‘enemy-backed terrorist activities’ in India. It is a mindset unlikely to change.
India may be violating human rights in occupied Kashmir but its filmmakers strongly advocate respect for and observance of human rights. How would that go with the contempt often practised by the powerful in Pakistan? It seems we would end up with innocuous Indian movies or reduce meaningful cinema to senselessness by slashing it to suit the sights of self-appointed official and non-official local guardians of public morality. The positive possibilities from the import of Indian films are thus likely to be liquidated by closed minds and distorted management.
There is another aspect to film relations between the two countries. Some Pakistani artists have signed contracts to work in Indian movies. What would be the government’s response to the question of the release of these films in Pakistan? A few filmmakers have used India’s technical and professional facilities for local ventures in a clandestine manner in the recent past. This association has now attained an open and near official status.
Cooperation in the field of films is already progressing between the two countries. Surely, this movement is bound to gather momentum with time, what it will lead to is anybody’s guess. Telecast by cable day in and day out, they may also fail to generate the bonanza exhibitors are hoping to reap. All their import is likely to yield is controversial political fallout.
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