From Main Vaapas Aaunga to Dhurandhar: How Bollywood changed who the real enemy is

In the week following the release of Main Vaapas Aaunga on Netflix, many viewers, including myself, were left deeply saddened by the tragic story of Keenu and Jiya, two lovers separated by a border that had caused immense pain and suffering over the years. This film stood out amidst the overwhelming success of Dhurandhar 1&2 due to its refusal to assign blame or stereotype communities, nor did it create a clear distinction between heroes and villains.

This approach prompted me to reflect on how the concept of 'us versus them' has evolved in Bollywood films, particularly those with patriotic or socially relevant themes.

Historically, Bollywood films often depicted a common enemy against whom the nation had to unite. This could range from foreign powers, corrupt politicians, rival sports teams, to social evils like casteism. The antagonists usually threatened the collective social fabric and way of life. However, over the past decade, there has been a noticeable shift in how the enemy or threat is portrayed, with a deliberate blurring of lines between entertainment and propaganda.

This change has been influenced by a desire to appease netizens and politicians who can be easily offended by various aspects of film-making.

While Pakistan has traditionally been portrayed as a security threat, filmmakers and actors are increasingly opting to create films where religious identity is the primary source of the threat. This trend is exemplified by a series of films starring actors like Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, and Arjun Kapoor, where characters from minority communities are portrayed as villains, often with negative stereotypes and traits.

The casting choices in these films, which predominantly feature Hindu actors and rarely include actors from minority communities, further emphasize this shift in perspective.

The portrayal of historical figures as villains based on their religious identity has raised concerns about reinforcing negative stereotypes and perpetuating a divisive narrative. Despite the existence of films like Raazi, Shershaah, Sam Bahadur, and Main Vaapas Aaunga, which provide a more balanced view, they remain the exception rather than the norm. The trend towards othering certain religious groups and villainizing them in films is a worrying development that threatens to deepen divisions rather than unite the nation.