The power of cinema is truly exceptional, as it is an outlet where we see human imagination and creativity at its best. Not only cinema gives us what we desire, but also tells us how we desire things. No art passes our conscience in the way movies does, and it can blatantly make us feel invincible or miserable, depending on how we intercept it.
Theater is one of the oldest forms of art, and a lot of what we do is consciously/subconsciously built around it. Therefore, wouldn’t it be safe to say that cinema is as powerful as any other channels to imbibe values and create awareness?
Watching a movie can either motivate you in pursuing what you believe or give you an endless cycle of recurring distress. Judging by it, where do we think Indian cinema is currently steering to?
Where movies like Mission Mangal portray the ingenious efforts of India in reaching the unchartered territories, making people aware of our nation’s knowledge power, another movie, Super 30 inspired us by showing how unprivileged kids achieved their dream of IIT. There were also movies like Udaan, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Rang De Basanti, etc who were able to move us in the past.
“Bollywood has become more polarized. Young filmmakers are catering to the youth with more intelligent and earthy films rooted in socio-political fabric of the soil,” says Amit Khanna, chairman of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Entertainment Limited.
Movies like such have been able to ignite our inner passion and also helped us challenge the existing system. Opining on how Super 30 made people question the existing education industry in the country, Deepak Mehra, owner of AKM Mehrasons Jewellers, who enjoys watching intelligent cinema says “My entertainment side calls for quality and content-based movies, which can take you off your feet. Super 30 was inspiring and incredible and movies like these convince me to go to theaters.”
Considering that India produces the highest number of films every year in the world, it is very important to produce more inspiring movies which show that ordinary people are capable of incredible things.
“We have a new generation of filmmakers who are not apologetic about making political cinema and don’t want to be content with just international success. They want (their) films to be seen in our country. So it’s a very exciting time to be a filmmaker in this country,” said Mishra, a cinema aficionado.
Significance of Cinema in Indian Society
Not only this, but movies have also proved to be a powerful medium to raise voice around social issues and injustices, that people otherwise shun when confronted out-front. In a country like India, where we have several social problems, cinema can prove to be a powerful medium.
Consider the issue of sexual abuse that is prevalent worldwide but is still left understated. Movies like Udne Do, not only empowered children and young adults but made the audience aware about the issue in a blunt yet pacifying manner.
“Cinema is a work of art and there has to be a certain ‘take away’ for the audience who give over two hours of their valuable time for watching a film,” says M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India.
To compose a movie is to create an everlasting impression. The staging, framing, direction aren’t just technical decisions. Everything is based on the kind of impression you want to create. The power of cinema is truly inspiring that way!
At times, this power that Indian cinema posses, also leads to troubles and protest for them. One such incident is that of Padmavati controversy, which led to widespread protest and boycott for the movie.
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