Bollywood festival in Bolton, vide Asian Voice (1-7-2018 page 8) caught my attention. Usual items were Indian food, music, Bharat natyam, etc. But Bollywood films “Mother India” and “Sholay” irked me a lot. These films were inappropriate to Hindu ethos of Bolton HINDU Forum. These films denoted inane violence (Sholay) and mind bending poverty (Mother India). Is that how we want the whole world to see India?
Office bearers must proudly show that India is no more a country of elephant taxi and snake charmers. Make all guests proud to know that India is in space club, nuclear club and submarine club. Indian women walked in SPACE, which no other country has done. India has given gift of yoga to whole world.
Indians are wrongly proud about poverty, labeled as most corrupt, saty-practicing, caste-ists, backward and abuses by anti-Hindu and anti-Indian elements. Spreading such muck continues to harm image of India. I am sure that Bolton Hindus must have read UN reports wrongly blaming India for human right violations in Kashmir, and another report that India is most dangerous place for women.
But we Hindus do not confront negative image but encourage it by exhibiting propaganda that Bollywood uses to earn filthy lucre. In 1940 and 1950s, many Bollywood films exhibited nationalist image attracting many proud Hindus.
Today, we Hindus/Indians get pleasure from abuses hurled under artists’ license and freedom of expression.
Ideally, following films must be shown as sign of loving mother India: “Gandhi”, “Do aankhen Bara haath”, “Navarang”, “Janak janak payal baajey”, “Pehechan”(Jitendra) and many others that focus on positive image. It is duty of office bearers to be knowledgeable rather being pulled into whirlpool of selfish anti-Hindu and anti-Indian propagandists.
If one requests India’s High Commissioner, they can furnish many documentaries and short films that positivate image of India. I have done that in Kenya, so why can’t smart office bearers do it in the UK?
Ramesh Jhalla
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