Bollywood vs South Cinema: Rajnikanth and the Political Narratives

OutlookIndia

This video explores the symbiotic relationship between cinema and politics in South India, with a special focus on the influence of Bollywood and South Cinema. We delve into the impact of iconic figures like Rajnikanth and the narratives they bring to the screen. From the rise of Dravidian cultural nationalism to the emergence of new Tamil political cinema that engages with Dalit politics, we examine how cinema has shaped and been shaped by political ideologies. We also look at the role of cinema in the political careers of figures like N T Rama Rao and Rajkumar. Join us as we navigate the complex interplay of cinema and politics in India.  #Bollywood #SouthCinema #Rajnikanth #PoliticalNarratives #IndianCinema  Read Article: https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/the-thalaiva-factor-in-cine-politics-of-south-india  Follow us: Website: https://www.outlookindia.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Outlookindia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outlookindia/ X: https://twitter.com/Outlookindia Whatsapp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaNrF3v0AgWLA6OnJH0R Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutlookMagazine Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/outlookindia

Transcript

00:00 Outlook brings to you excerpts from its latest issue titled Cinema Politico.

00:06 The issue explores politics and cinema and the ever blurring lines between the two.

00:12 Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a slew of propaganda movies have hit the big screen and OTT platforms amid much criticism and approach,

00:22 while many more films are slated to release in the coming weeks stirring even a bigger debate.

00:28 The latest issue of Outlook looks at the genre of nationalist and propaganda films in the Indian context

00:35 and also continues with the exploration of the ideology question in the context of upcoming general elections.

00:42 Both themes are contextual and linked in many ways.

00:47 The Thalaiva Factor by Basav Biradar, a writer, researcher and a documentary filmmaker.

00:53 In this he looks at cinemas in the south where politics and cinema have enjoyed an intense symbiotic relationship with each other,

01:01 often blurring the lines between real and the real life.

01:06 At a time when Bollywood is churning out propagandist narratives, south cinema too has stories to tell.

01:13 It is not a surprise then that the silver screen has given four chief ministers N.T. Ramarao, M.G. Ramachandran,

01:21 J. Lalita and M. Karunanidhi and several political parties to the region.

01:27 The beginnings of this phenomenon can be traced back to the iconic Parashakti from 1952.

01:33 Made three years after the formation of the Dravida Munetra Kajgam, Parashakti was written by Karunanidhi

01:40 and Sivaji Ganesan starred in the lead role.

01:43 The film begins with a song sequence whose lyrics start with the line

01:48 "Long live Dravida Nadu" and goes on to extol the glory of the Dravidian heritage, both natural and cultural,

01:56 including allusions to Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu.

02:01 Set in the 1940s during World War II, the narrative deals with the story of a middle-class family of three brothers

02:08 who have migrated to Rangoon to earn a livelihood and a sister who lives with her father back in Madurai

02:15 as they go through the struggles of life caused due to a series of tragic incidents.

02:20 Within this family drama, the filmmakers packed strong political messaging,

02:25 delivering all the pet themes of the DMK - social justice, rationalism, anti-religious order, anti-superstition, anti-North India

02:36 and most importantly, blaming the Congress party for the sad state of Tamil Nadu,

02:41 which was once a part of glorious Dravida Nadu.

02:45 The release of the film was not without controversies.

02:48 The Congress party, led by the then Chief Minister C. Rajagopalachari,

02:53 encouraged by the discontent expressed by the general audience, politicians and activists alike, attempted to ban the film.

03:00 Among many, the depiction of an attempted rape by the priest in the sanctum sanctorum of a temple in one scene

03:08 and Ganesan's character telling the priest that the idol is a stone and cannot speak

03:14 is another that created much uproar.

03:18 For this and more, read the latest issue of Outlook.

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