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Mainstream, Vol 63 No 5,February 1, 2025
The film Article 370: A Rationalising Project for the Abrogation of ‘Article 370’ from India’s Constitution | Amit Kumar
Saturday 1 February 2025
#socialtagsFILM REVIEW
Movie: Article 370
Director: Aditya Suhas Jambhale
Date of Release: 23 Feb 2024 (Theatrical) & 19 April 2024 (OTT)
Keywords: Kashmir, Article 370, B.J.P. (Bhartiya Janata Party), Nationalism, National Interest, Propaganda
Introduction
The representation of Kashmir in Hindi Cinema underwent a drastic change from the early 90’s. Historically, Indian cinema has showcased Kashmir as a land of scenic snow-capped mountains, valleys, stunning parks, lakes and major respite from intense hot summer. In popular culture, Kashmir is also celebrated as the ‘Jannat’ (Heaven) on earth. However, once the vacationer’s dream destination, metamorphosed as the den of anti-national activities i.e., ‘Dozakh’ (Hell) in the post-90s Indian cinema.
This transition embarks with the first instalment of filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s Terrorism Trilogy, i.e., Roja (1992) (Manda, 2021). Moreover, Kashmir theme-centric movies were exponentially produced in the late 90’s and Kashmir became a significant subject matter for storytelling in Hindi and regional cinema. These movies emerged commercially successful and carried the majoritarian nationalistic agenda. Such movies redefined cultural-nationalistic boundaries and reified ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ binaries. Additionally, the least sensitivity is evident in reels while dealing with the question of ‘Kashmir’ in the Post 1990’s cinema. Besides a few exceptions, art movies like Harud (2013), Bub (2001) presented an alternative perspective about Kashmir but the majority of commercially driven movies knitted their stories around Kashmiri terrorists or insurgent groups supporting the Pakistan agenda [1] on Indian soil. These movies were successful in fixing the image of Kashmiri ethnic Muslims as anti-Indian and pro-Pakistani.
Jammu and Kashmir Politics and B.J.P (Bhartiya Janta Party)
Kashmir has been a contentious issue since India’s independence. Before analysing Article 370 movie, it is important to delve into the politics around Article 370 [2]. The government in the union from time to time has used the sensitive issue of Kashmir for their political objectives and has diluted the relevance of Article 370. Like many other states of the Indian Union Jammu and Kashmir too have problems but the abrogation was not the panacea for every evil. In the backdrop, the battle for political power between the social and political elites of Kashmir and Jammu region [3] has silenced the voices of the marginalised sections, especially the Valmiki and the West Pakistan refugees. It has also been argued that the scholarship on Jammu and Kashmir overlooked various other issues beyond Kashmir (Bhatia, 2014).
Making inroads into the political arena of Jammu and Kashmir was not easy for B.J.P. Before, coming into the absolute majority at the Centre in 2014 B.J.P. was navigating its space in national and state politics. The miraculous success journey of the B.J.P. in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir was marked by the Amarnath —Land controversy of 2008 [4]. The Amarnath shrine issue has been galvanized by B.J.P for engineering communal politics in the former state. Through polarizing tactics, the B.J.P carved fertile ground in the Jammu region and succeeded in securing 11 Assembly seats in 2008 while the number rose to 24 in the 2014 assembly election.
Reel, Kashmir and B.J.P.
The Movie Article 370 revolves around the Burhan Wani (Militant) encounter (2016) till the abrogation of Article 370 (2019). The movie intelligently built a connection between the personal grief of Zooni (the daughter of ex-J&K bank employee) with the national grief. Zooni gets revenge from the former C.M by keeping him under house arrest and freeing the Jammu and Kashmir people from Article 370. Zooni firmly believed that the corrupt officials and politicians were solely responsible for the murder of his honest father. In her opinion, all the injustices against the Kashmiri people are because of Article 370 and this article provides absolute immunity to corrupt leaders too. Zooni the protagonist belongs to the new generation of young nationalists who are despondent towards the older generation’s methods for bringing peace in Kashmir.
This movie has created a binary us (B.J.P and its supporters) who represent national interest and represent any alternative view beyond the central government version are branded as ‘them’. Article 370 has tried to redefine the meaning of national interest which is endorsed by the B.J.P. led government and every law-abiding citizen should follow their version of national interest. Liberal voices and progressive voices have no space in new India as they are more sympathetic towards the anti-national elements in the country. The filmmakers have presented the negative image of the Human Rights organisations, media and any other alternative perspectives on the Kashmir issue.
The movie goes to extreme ends to demonise the elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir. The filmmaker blurs the difference between the former chief minister and the separatist leader or terrorists. The surname of the chief ministers mixed with Syed Salahuddin (terrorist) and Asiya Andrabi (separatist leader). The protagonist labelled these constitutionally elected representatives as former terrorists. The film portrays the version of the B.J.P. representing the sole method of dealing with the sensitive issue of Kashmir while whitewashing the atrocities against the Kashmiri people. In 2016, during the Kashmir unrest, the central government was accused of violating Human rights, and the use of pellet guns for protestors to suppress dissent which was highly condemned in national and international forums. However, that criticism too branded as propaganda in the movie. Films showcased that the political leaders in the opposition, militants and corrupt leaders are in support of keeping Article 370 intact. The opposition leaders are overpowered by their self-interest and these dissenters are keeping the question of national interest and security at stake.
B.J.P’s approach in Kashmir relies upon the use of brute force rather than coming to any form of dialogue and building consensus with different stakeholders. Article 370 builds a narrative and discourse that suits BJP’s political agenda. Cinema has an instrumental role in shaping public opinion. Media platforms, social media and digital platforms are pertinent for the vibrant democratic success. Every political party are using these means to connect with the people. The movie leaves no space for the audience to think beyond the narrative endorsed by the movie aligning with the narrative of the B.J.P-led government.
It is not always the cinema where the people align with the state apparatus but at times cinema has resisted and challenged dominant narratives. The present movie carried the propaganda of the government in a more engaging rather than blatant manner. Most of the characters involved in the operation of removing Article 370 on the ground belong to the Muslim community and the Kashmiri girl in particular which gives more legitimacy to the abrogation of Article 370 and makes this movie distinct from other propaganda movies.
Since 2014 there has been a consequential rise in the polarizing and demonization of minority cinema. This movie carries a message of Jingo Nationalism and hyper-nationalism. Recently released movies like URI (2019), Kashmir Files (2022), Kerala Story (2023), Baster (2024), Jehangir National University (2024) are a few examples. Cinema is an important instrument in educating the masses and shaping public opinion. However, contemporary Indian cinema benefits the present regime and authenticates it as a sole legitimate force in contemporary times.
(Author: Dr Amit Kumar is an Assistant Professor at the Amity University, Lucknow. Email: akumar4[at]lko.amity.edu)
References
- Bhatia, M. (2014), “Dalits in Jammu and Kashmir”, Asian Survey, 54 (5), 941-965.
- Manda, M. (2021) How Ratnam’s Terrorism Trilogy stroked 1990’s, The Juggernaut. [Online Web] Accessed 15 July 2024 URL: https://www.jgnt.co/indian-nationalism-in-mani-ratnam-trilogy.
- Raina, M (2008) “Yatra Begins, So does Land Row Controversy over Amarnath Shelters, The Telegraph.[Online Web] 25 July Accessed URLhttps://www.telegraphindia.com/india/yatra-begins-so-does-land-row-controversy-over-amarnath-route-shelters/cid/570497.
[1] Pakistan Agenda here refers to Pakistan’s motive is to free the Kashmir region from India and assimilate it into the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In this process, certain insurgent groups and sections of common Kashmiri people support this agenda of the neighbouring country.
[2] Article 370 of the Indian Constitution provides special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir which was abrogated on 5 August 2019.
[3] The Jammu region is dominated by the Hindu majority population.
[4] Amarnath is an important religious site for the Hindu population. The Land dispute erupted in 2008 for the temporary use of the Land near the shrine in the Muslim-majority region of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.