Bollywood's Take On The Unconventionally Patriotic

Independence Day has just passed and with it the release of the much-anticipated film, Rustom. Like many other films released on the topic of the Indian military, it harkens back to the central theme of patriotism. Akshay Kumar plays the titular character, a Navy officer who has been accused of murdering his wife's lover. Whether or not he is guilty is the question the movie shall answer, but as the trailers show, there is no question about his loyalty to his country. However, some movies about patriotism have been a little less straight-forward than Rustom seems to be.

Movies about anti-patriotism or unconventional patriotism is not a new concept in Bollywood. Films whereby a character who is Indian tries to harm the country due to the believe that the country has failed them in one way or the other. One such example is Main Hoon Na (2004), in which a former para-rescue-trooper turned militant played by Sunil Shetty tries to sabotage peace talks between India and Pakistan. While he plays an anti-patriot, the protagonist in the film, played by Shah Rukh Khan, is a soldier and patriot who succeeds in stopping the militant and saves the day.

Another example of anti-patriotism in films is Fanaa (2006), a part romance, part crime-drama. In the film, Aamir Khan plays a Kashmiri insurgent responsible for terrorist bombings and the death of many people. He falls in love with a blind Kashmiri girl, played by Kajol. However, he fakes his death in a bombing as he believes that they cannot be together due to his dangerous life. Fate brings them back together seven years later, but his association with the insurgency organisation IKF eventually tears them apart permanently.

One of the first movies to touch upon this subject is the Bobby Deol starrer Soldier (1998). The movie had corrupt army officials as antagonists who were selling weapons to gangsters. Bobby's character was motivated more by personal revenge rather than patriotism as his character's father had been betrayed and killed, and deemed a traitor by the antagonists. 

There have been many movies in the past few decades that have showcased unconventional patriotism or even anti-patriotism towards India. These films often depict how loyalty towards India is the correct mindset, but do not always villainise the anti-patriots and allow us to empathise with them too.

Writer: Aradhna K.
Editors: Aishwarya S. and Jenifer A. 
Graphics: Titli P.