Ideas Of India 3.0: I Was Told 'You Are Going Against Muslims' When I Made Kerala Story, Says Vipul Shah

Filmmakers Vipul Shah, Madhur Bhandarkar and Leena Yadav discussed the effect of cinema during the session 'Anatomy of Art: Are Our Movies Dividing or Uniting Us' at ABP Ideas Of India Summit.

Ideas Of India 3.0: Filmmakers Vipul Shah, Madhur Bhandarkar And Leena Yadav Discuss The 'Politics Of Cinema'

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New Delhi: 'Ideas Of India Summit', a series of ABP Network events, has entered its third edition with Day 1 of the insightful summit kickstarting today on February 23. The two-day conclave to be held today and tomorrow on February 24 will feature prominent figures from several fields. Popular filmmakers Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Madhur Bhandarkar and Leena Yadav graced the session titled 'Anatomy of Art: Are Our Movies Dividing or Uniting Us' moderated by journalist and entrepreneur Shaili Chopra.

During the session, the eminent filmmakers discussed the "politics of cinema" and shared their thoughts on whether their films are a means of expressing their political leanings or a mere source of entertainment.

Talking about the same in light of his recent film 'The Kerala Story' that garnered a lot of controversy for its subject, Vipul Amrutlal Shah said, "Earlier the film industry did not have its political leanings displayed in the open. Today people are more vocal about their opinions but that does not mean we are dividing the industry. When I made Kerala Story, I was told "oh now you are going against Muslims." I have made 18 films in my life out of which just 2 have had muslim villains. The film was about a true human tragedy, and some people are going to go against you. I do not make films to divide people."

Expressing his views on the same, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar said, "People might or might not express their political leanings but point of view is always there."

Leena Yadav shared her insights on the topic and shared, "I don't think films can be made without politics. Any story you tell comes with its politics and every filmmaker reveals their politics in whatever story they tell. It's there in the way you frame your shots, it's there in the way a character speaks."

 

Expressing his views on people's preference for cinema thriving on violence and politics, Vipul Shah said, "When people were exposed to world cinema in the Covid era, they saw all kind of content coming from South Korea which was extremely edgy and gory to Hollywood to all kinds of cinema. Today, if people have to go out of their houses to watch a film, it has to be very edgy."

The 'Namaste London' director also shed light on cinema that's non-escapist and said, "Earlier, people wanted to escape from their stressful lives. In todays's time, there is a section of the society which is doing well and they do not want escapism so they want something that goes beyond that. We have always had this kind of cinema existing in the society which might be termed political if they were made today."

Ideas Of India Summit

The 'Ideas Of India Summit', scheduled for February 23 and 24, serves as a pivotal platform for comprehensive deliberations on 'The People's Agenda' in the lead-up to significant elections in the world's largest democracy. Renowned luminaries representing diverse sectors will convene to delve into the multifaceted dimensions of India's socio-political landscape, reflecting the ethos of ABP Network's flagship initiative to foster nuanced discourse on Indian society and governance.