Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao has alleged that the BJP is using cinema to target the youth in India and mix nationalism and communalism. In an interview with TV5 news, the Telangana Minister for IT, Urban Development, Industry and Commerce said that even “movies are not being spared” from being used as tools to further BJP’s agenda. The minister cited movies like the 2019 Vicky Kaushal-starrer Uri, Vivek Agnihotri’s recent release The Kashmir Files and the upcoming Prabhas-starrer Adipurush as examples. A portion of the Minister's interview where he makes these comments is being shared widely on social media.
“They (the BJP) have come up with a strategy, to make nationalism and communalism mix. The aim is to take the youth and a section of the people and to convince them to think in a certain way and to create an environment for them. Even movies and cinema aren't being spared today. They won't directly fund, those who have to end up funding such movies. Many times we don't even understand. Uri, Kashmir files, Adipurush etc. How come their time is strikingly similar? This is happening because BJP is working in a way to make it happen,” KTR says in the video.
For people who are taken aback by this piece of news, here is a video@KTRTRS says #Uri, #Kashmirfiles , #Adipurush are being made because @BJP4India is working in multi-prongned strategy @omraut @vivekagnihotri pic.twitter.com/9JRMQ1DWbh
— Naveena Ghanate (@TheNaveena) April 25, 2022
Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files is based on the killings and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir valley. The movie was highly endorsed by the BJP government, with multiple BJP-led states making the movie tax-free. The movie was highly controversial, and videos emerged of hate speeches being made against Muslims in theatres from multiple cities in the country.
Adipurush, meanwhile, set to release next year, is based on Ramayana and stars Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan in leading roles. While Prabhas will be essaying the role of Ram, Saif will essay the role of Ravana in the movie, which is being promoted as a tale of the victory of good over evil. Adipurush was shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu languages, and will also be dubbed in Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. The movie is slated to release on January 12, 2023, ahead of Republic Day.
Uri, which was released ahead of the Assembly elections in 2019, was about the surgical strikes carried out by India following the Uri terrorist attack that killed 17 people. The film featured Vicky Kaushal in the lead role, and it too was hailed by the BJP. The movie, however, was criticised for inaccurate cliched portrayals of Pakistan and for its hypernationalism and for glorifying war.