This would haunt Karan Johar who chose his hard work and cash over his liberal values for release of the film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ .A ‘Patriotic tax’ of 5 crores brokered by Mumbai CM between Karan and MNS has surprisingly failed to ring alarm bells for millions. A close analysis will help understand the disaster this has brought.
It won’t be inappropriate calling October 2016 as ‘Dirty and Dark’ where the political conflict has poisoned the cultural realm. The Bollywood and art industry which transcends geographical boundaries suddenly finds itself caged in the wall of jingoism. Open threat to actors,poets,writers musicians, technicians suggest inception of a dangerous trend.. making art industries the political scapegoat. Bollywood which entertains people not just in South Asia but across the world is falling prey to whims of a small group of people.
The cultural industry which provides India the natural edge in soft power at international arena has found itself dented in the wake of this ‘extortion’. This shuts doors not just to peace restoration but also to Information exchange, art culture, profession, right to entertainment and humanity. The bunch of jingoist who are riding dangerously on Hot sentiments of people to procure their political interest have mocked democracy to its core. The film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ was shot during the times when Indo-pak bilateral were normal.
Many trade, political and individual transactions had been carried out with the neighboring country. One must ask, why should artists and their work be targeted by a political party in times when people in our country are furious after the Uri Attacks. Forced to conform to a certain notion of ‘nationalism’ people have been threatened, harassed and humiliated. The money agreed for the release of the movie is but EXTORTION.
The Indian Army has officially rejected this money, parking a tight slap on the face of MNS . The ‘army welfare Fund’ and newly established ‘Battle causality fund’ receive funds which are voluntary from the people. It is shocking how organization Like MNS thrive in local area even without a substantive electoral weight. These are people who have constantly inflicted Violence on ‘selected’ section of people through moral policing and vandalism. The most basic essence of this development is the crippling blow to our democratic ideals. Are we readily allowing ‘morphed version of nationalism’ to muffle our love for humanity. How can we allow such criminal behavior?