While the Indian entertainment industry is reaching new heights, one thing that’s holding it back is the tendency to follow the same old formula. India is definitely at the forefront when it comes to experimental content, but in terms of repetitive and monotonous productions, it’s breaking even in that sector too.
Now, setting that aside, as India grows in so many sectors, a certain tension is building—religious tension, which in turn fuels political agendas. And audiences love to watch it; it gives them an adrenaline rush.
But is this a bad thing?
Absolutely not—until and unless someone becomes violent after being influenced by a film, it doesn’t do any harm. However, one major problem is that the industry is being affected. You can make good films based on such themes—The Kashmir Files was a great example, and The Kerala Story was also well-received by fans.
But some filmmakers are treating this segment as a money-making machine, which is harming the quality of the films and degrading the entertainment industry.
For example, Jahangir National University, released in June 2024, focuses on student politics and its dirty side. It sounds good on paper, but what the film did was use cheap tactics to create disputes among different faiths to make money.
Narrating the clash between left-wing and right-wing parties, the film even impersonated Kanhaiya Kumar and made a mockery of both parties. The sloppy writing didn’t do any justice, relying instead on cheap tactics to play on the emotions of the audience.
And there’s a new contender—The Diary of West Bengal.
It delves into the Hindu vs. Muslim clash in West Bengal, attempting a similar approach. The trailer was sloppy, to say the least, and the action? There wasn’t much to talk about except the over-saturation that the filmmakers promoted. It even featured a caricature of Mamata Banerjee and talked about being a proud Hindu.
This is a mess. Currently, Bengal is going through one of its worst political periods, especially with rising concerns over women’s safety. But a film like this will only worsen the situation. Not only will the Bengali audience ignore such films, but northern India will also develop a bad image of Bengal, especially when it has a “secular” reputation.
Films like these are repetitive and do no justice to the issues they portray.
Yes, some films based on this formula have worked, but that doesn’t make it foolproof. The audience will get bored eventually. Religion is a sensitive matter, and while people are free to talk about it, manipulating them with it is no good for filmmakers.
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