Strained
diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan are back in focus only days
after leaders of both the nations discussed how to defuse tension. But
the unanimous success of Eid release 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' - a Salman Khan
starrer that propagates a positive message of peace, unity and
brotherhood - on both sides of the border is proving there's a strong
force in the soft power of Bollywood.
'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'. Pic/Santa Banta
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi met in the Russian city of Ufa earlier this month in an
effort towards restoring cordiality in ties - but the situation was back
to square one when a top Pakistani diplomat said that no dialogue
process will take place with India sans the Kashmir issue.
It only seems more symbolic then that the movie too doesn't miss
Kashmir - neither in its visual treat of the picturesque Valley nor when
a Muslim character tells a Hindu man on a lighter vein: "Thoda
(Kashmir) hamaare paas bhi hai."
Largely, cinema can play a "big part in changing the bitterness of
our history into a sweet future for our children", concedes
Fakhr-e-Alam, chairman of Pakistan's Central Board of Film Censors.
"Films are a great way to bring people closer or to make people
understand each other better. It's a great tool for propaganda and
awareness. If used wisely like in 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' and 'PK', it can
connect
people the world over, create a better understanding for each other,
increase tolerance, open minds and connect hearts," Alam, who courted
"life threats" for giving a green signal to the Salman Khan starrer and
was trolled on Twitter for being a "traitor", told IANS in an email from
Karachi.
Alam - the same person who banned Akshay Kumar's "Baby" in his nation
for being a "a poor propoganda (sic) film basically saying all muslims r
terrorists & Pakistan harbors them" - however, went on record on
social media to convey "'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' is the most positive film
for Pakistan that Bollywood has produced in a long time".
The Kabir Khan directorial sees Salman - a hugely popular Hindi film
superstar - in the role of a god-fearing Hindu simpleton named Pavan aka
Bajrangi taking it upon himself to unite an accidentally-lost
six-year-old mute Pakistani girl in India with her parents in
Pakistan. It's not just Salman's holier-than-thou portrayal sans his
trademark mannerisms that has tugged at the audience's heartstrings, but
the angelic smile of talented little girl Harshaali Gupta; the quirky
dialogues of Nawazuddin Siddiqui and the deftness with which the
director has handled a subject as sensitive as Indo-Pak ties.
Ali Murtaza of Shiny Toy Guns, currently producing the upcoming
Pakistani romantic comedy "Dekh Magar Pyaar Say", told IANS that he saw
the movie in a "packed show" on the fourth day of Eid. He describes it
as a "brilliant and breathtaking" story, with special praise for the
director's attention to detail.
Having released in 47 screens with over 74 screenings on July 17 - a
day before the holy Eid celebrations - 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' has enjoyed a
decent run over one week in Pakistan, despite clashing with two awaited
Pakistani movies "Bin Roye" and "Wrong No.", as well as Hollywood
movies like "Ant-Man" and "Terminator Genisys".
The gross billing for Pakistan territory for the first seven days
turned out to be $1.2 million, said Satish Anand, head honcho of
Eveready Group of Companies, which distributed 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' in
the nation - primarily in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, which are key
centres for films.
"Salman Khan films on Eid always have a very strong initial draw in
Pakistan," Anand told IANS in an email from Karachi, adding that what
makes 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' stand out from his past entertainers is the
fact that it's not "all out action" and it is this reason why women
and family audiences in Pakistan are patronising it from the word go.
However, Anand, who was himself bowled over by the "different tangent
and direction" that Salman had taken as an actor and producer of the
film, and is all praise for the movie's feel-good-factor, said he faced
issues in distributing 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'.
"I had a lot of problem in having it released...first due to the
trailer, and then in the past, the director (Kabir Khan) had made 'Ek
Tha Tiger' (about a RAW agent), which never got released in Pakistan.
So, there was anticipation in the market that there would be a problem
with the content in the film. There was a huge campaign (from certain
quarters) to try to create a negative perception about the film," he
added.
The business which, according to him, is "phenomenal", could have
been better had the movie been released at a time when not many
Pakistani films were coming. Also, pirated prints, he said, have already
come into the market and on cable, hampering chances of sustainability on Pakistan's big screens.
In India, of course, the film has crossed the Rs.200 crore mark.
Decoding why the film is working, Mumbai-based film historian S.M.M.
Ausaja told IANS: "It's working because we as Indians are largely
tolerant and peace-loving. I also feel that these are times when
politics
has polarised the people and this is their way to endorse secularism
and human values, giving a message that the basic civilizational values
we (in India and Pakistan) have imbibed remain intact."
While several people are praising 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' for avoiding
Pak-bashing, Ausaja pointed out how "all the films on Indo-Pak issues
eventually depicted a triumph of peace and brotherhood, including
'Border' and 'Gadar - Ek Prem Katha'".
"There may be stray scenes in some, but the industry has largely been secular and above narrow divisive ideologies," he added.
Shailja Kejriwal, who pioneered the Zindagi channel - a platform
which brings Pakistani TV content closer to Indian TV viewers - told
IANS that apart from a political discourse on igniting peace between the
nations, a social discourse involving people-to-people understanding,
acceptance and involvement must also be stressed upon. And this, she
said, is possible with the power of mass media platforms like films and
TV.
"Someone asked me: 'Will what you're doing (through Zindagi) bring
peace between India and Pakistan?' As I see it, most landmark movements
have been people's movements, and even if efforts like Zindagi or a
'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' may not bring peace, they are a step towards peace."
To that end, she added, the remarkable aspect about 'Bajrangi
Bhaijaan' is that it tells a simple story about people, goodness and
genuine emotions without touching politics, and sends out a universal
message: "Goodness is more important than enmity."
Pakistan had banned Indian movies in 1968 but lifted this later. Now,
various initiatives like the Aman ki Aasha movement, fashion shows and
movies like 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' are doing their bit to promote harmony
between the two nations.