Indian Cinema as an instrument of social change

Cinema is a powerful medium. It speaks with the language of universality. Cinema through story-telling, documentary, realism or fiction through its very nature demands a universal language. By accessing and understanding what makes a universal issue, the audiences can better engage with the world around them.
Cinema has a mystique unique and is different from other art forms. Cinema communicates ideas and emotionally moves us. Films represent and at the same time signify. They remix the real, the unreal, the present, real life, memory, and dream on the same shared mental level.

However, other than being a very important means of entertainment and regaling the audience, cinema has played a significant role to bring about social changes.

Indian cinema has seen a great transformation since the early nineteen-thirties. The 1930’s saw the emergence of three big banners in Indian cinema- Prabhat, Bombay Talkies and New Theatres. These banners took the lead in making serious films with gripping social themes meant for all classes of the Indian cinema. The first Indian talkie – Alam Ara – was released on March 14, 1931. After that, there was no turning back. Directed by Ardeshir Irani, it was the first Indian film with sound.

During the same period, South India saw the release of two talkies- Bhakta Prahlada in Telugu and Kalidas in Tamil. Following the release of these movies was the till-date-famous Devdas. Released in 1935, it epitomized the agony of love and in a way introduced the first anti-hero of Indian cinema. It was remade twice in Hindi. Love was for the first time treated aesthetically. Every time Devdas was remade, love was redefined.

A number of films during this period such as Duniya ke mane and Watan made a strong plea against social injustices.

During the 1940s cinema in South India accounted for nearly half of India's cinema halls and cinema came to be viewed as an instrument of cultural revival. The late 1940’s also saw the commencement of the “Golden Age of Indian Cinema”. The “Golden Age” was from late 1940’s to 1960’s.

It was from the post independence period that Indian cinema began to emerge as an agent of social change. Some of the most critically acclaimed Indian films of all time were produced during this period.

One of the most famous examples is Guru Dutt’s movie Pyaasa. It focuses on the universal themes of love, pain, greed and hope. It was appreciated for its superb blend of both commercial and creative aspects. It critiqued the unreality of city life.

Mehboob Khan’s Mother India dealt with several social issues. It was one of the earliest films that were women centric. It became a landmark in Hindi cinema. Released in 1957, it brought the character of mother at the centre-stage in Hindi films. It was also nominated as an Oscar for the best foreign language film.

Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zameen dealt with common man and exploitation. It was this film that bagged first filmfare award for best film in 1953. Bimal Roy was also the director that introduced the Indian audience to the concept of reincarnation through his film Madhumati. This movie set a new trend. Other films that are based on the same concept include Karz and Om Shanti Om.

While commercial cinema was thriving, the same age saw the emergence of a new Parallel Cinema movement mainly led by Bengali cinema. It was the cinema of social significance and artistic sincerity, presenting a modern, humanist perspective in contrast to the fantasy world of the popular cinema.

The most important factor for this phenomenon was the post World War situation in world cinema. This phenomenon was important because it gave rise to a cinema characterized by significant themes and innovative treatment.

The scripts and stories that were dealt in the Gujarati films were intrinsically humane. They included relationship- and family-oriented subjects with human aspirations and deal with Indian family culture. This continues to be the trend till date.

During the 1960’s, popular cinema shifted its social concerns towards more romantic genres. This period also became prominent for a more assertive Indian nationalism. Mughal-e-Azam carved a niche for itself because of its panache. It was not only because of the extravagant sets or the soulful music that the audience was left enthralled. The thrilling war scenes, the captivating Mughal romance, the stunning actress and striking actor too left an indelible mark on the audience.

There was also an introduction of Comedy of Errors. For the first time, the double role of an actor was introduced by the movie Ram aur Shyam. Later a lot of similar films were made. These include Sita aur Geeta and Duplicate.

Following the Indo-Pakistan wars in 1962 and 1965, the Indian officer came to be a rallying point for the national imagination. Old films such as Aradhana, Sangam, and newer ones like Main Hoon Na and Mausam highlight this.

Aradhana did not attract audiences only for the “man in the uniform” look. Instead it also focused on the differences created between a married couple. The film went on to show their unification thus filling each heart with joy and contentment.

The 1970’s were an introduction to young romance. The movie Bobby brought forward teenage love. A national craze, this movie received rare reviews. This era was also a time for action flicks, the most loved one perhaps being Sholay. This enduring film was perhaps the success behind the further rise of commercial cinema. It also showcased the concept of true male friendship.

At the same time, devotional films were given importance. Jai Santoshi Ma is a devotional classic released in 1975.

Another significant film of this time was Deewar. It was a crime film pitting a policeman against his brother, a gang leader. Directed by Yash Chopra, Danny Boyle described the film as an absolute key to Indian cinema.

It was in the late 1970’s that Yash Chopra’s film Kala Patthar released. It focuses on the pitiable and dangerous lives of the coal miners. This movie too sees the characters fight for social justice. It portrays a fight against poor equipment, less than sufficient medical supplies and lack of facilities.

It was Mahesh Bhatt’s film Arth that put a bold theme before the yet reserved audience. The big screen was familiarized with the idea of extra marital affair. This movie brought to forefront one of those social realities that had been a taboo for long. It became a landmark because it dealt with a real problem in a realistic way.

Though the Hindi cinema saw the gates of the “Golden Age” close by the end of the 1960’s, South India’s Malayalam cinema of Kerala, regarded as one of the best Indian film genres, experienced its own “Golden Era” during the 1980’s and 1990’s. This period of popular cinema is characterized by the adaptation of everyday life themes and exploration of social and individual relationships.

Up in the north, this was the time for the revival of romance. The movie Maine Pyaar Kiya brought back the “love in the air” genre. This was followed by a string of romantic movies. The movie that seemed to top every girl’s favourites list was, and remains, Dilwale Dhulaniya Le Jaayenge. It was also the time for romantic comedies like Hum Hain Raahi Pyar Ke.

In the late 1990s, 'Parallel Cinema' began experiencing resurgence in Hindi cinema, largely due to the critical and commercial success of Satya, a low-budget film released in 1998. It was based on the Mumbai underworld, directed by Ram Gopal Varma. The film's success led to the emergence of a distinct genre known as “Mumbai noir”, urban films reflecting social problems in the city of Mumbai.

The movie Nayak released during this period. Through their film, the filmmakers posed queries on the way our democratic system functions. It asked the audience “Are we really a democracy?”

Since the beginning of the 21st century, movies no longer remained melodramatic. Perhaps this century has witnessed the most films bringing about a social change.

The new millennium started with the controversy generated by the filming of Deepa Mehta’s last of the Trilogy Water, which was based on the life of Hindu widows in the 1930’s.

The years that followed saw movies like Rang De Basanti and No One Killed Jessica that not only popularized the concept of candle march, but also encouraged the audience to stand up against crime and in favour of justice.

The famous movie 3 Idiots changed the way students looked at marks. The concept of “run after knowledge, marks and success will follow” spread like wildfire throughout the world. So much so that this highly acclaimed movie was shown at the UN for both the message and stellar performance by each of the actors.

The film Aarakshan too sparked off debates. The tagline for this film was “India vs. India”. It gave the audience a chance to question the education system followed in our country. Based on the social issue of reservation, it became the centre of arguments and disputes.

The recently released movie I am Singh puts into limelight the atrocities that Sikhs had to face after the 9/11 attack. Infact the 9/11 tragedy became the base of other movies as well including New York and My Name is Khan.

It is by the filming of movies like these that cinema can be termed as transformative. Cinema, with its powerful tools of fiction and nonfiction can please, transform, and deceive shapes in the audiences’ mind.

It is a matter of pride that, Indian cinema has not only remained popular in India, but it has increased its boundaries elsewhere in world. It is really encouraging to see a ‘double bottom-line’ production house in India. Movies are a really powerful medium in India.

In the words of Bertolt Brechet:
“We need a type of theatre which not only releases the feelings, insights and impulses possible within the particular historical field of human relations in which the action takes place, but employs and encourages those thoughts and feelings which help transform the field itself.”
Kudos to the Indian cinema!