Indian Cinema - Indian Cinema- Entertain and Educate?

Indian Cinema- Entertain and Educate?
            Indian cinema has always been in the news, more so for the wrong reasons than the right ones. Reports of underworld links, money laundering, carrying arms & drugs, promiscuity & affairs, lack of morals, sleaze, illegal hunting, rash driving etc. have always portrayed cinema as a vice. All this tends to obscure the other side of cinema and this is what I’d like to discuss today.
            “I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained. “ – This is what the great Walt Disney quoted. It’s so true that entertainment revives your soul and educates your personality. Right from India’s first motion picture by Dadasaheb Phalke to the recent releases, Indian cinema has never failed to entertain the classes & masses alike. At the same time, consciously or subconsciously, cinema has always educated viewers and has had tremendous behavioural impact on the billions of viewers that are subjected to the pot-pourri of emotions, dialogues, glamour, music-dance and idol-worship that only cinema can provide. With over 800 films per year, the tremendous influence that the Indian film industry exerts on the minds of the viewers cannot be ignored.
            Movies on great lives, such as ‘Sant Tukaram’, ‘Dnyaneshwar’ or the various tales of Gandhi, Bose & Shivaji, instil various values & morals in our minds. At the same time, they provide a window into history by showcasing various elements of different ages such as dressing/attires, buildings, customs and traditions. Movies like ‘Swades’, ‘Border’ etc. imbibe patriotism and urge everyone to care for one’s homeland. Secularism and open mindedness have been engraved upon us by movies like ‘Kabir’, ‘Shejari’. Many films showcase humanity, compassion for the down-trodden and upliftment of the underprivileged.
Time and again, Indian cinema has portrayed various shades of love through its plethora of romantic films while films like ‘Sholay’, ‘Dil Chahta hai’ have been an epitome of die-hard friendship. Films have always supported the fact that hard-work, integrity & perseverance can always lead to success through films like ‘Iqbal’ &‘Lakshya’. Even hardcore (masala) entertainment movies such as ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ give the subtle message that in life, seeing everything is not possible and one needs to choose/ prioritize what one wants. It is Indian cinema that has demonstrated compassion towards the specially abled and demanded equal opportunities for them through classy films like ‘Taare Zameen Par’ and ‘Barfi’. And who can forget ‘Do Aankhen Bara Haath’ which threw light upon the concept of giving second chance to condemned people. And then, the concept of family bonding has been exhibited by many blockbusters like ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’, ‘Hum Saath Saath Hai’ and ‘K3G’. And can you forget the wonderful portrayal of an Indian home-maker who remains committed to her family while pursuing her dreams in ‘English Vinglish’?
While so far, we have talked about movies influencing morals and values, there is another aspect of education to movies that can’t be overlooked. It is films that act as a showcase for a plethora of facts and information from around the world. Movies provide a glimpse of various locales in the world thereby bringing to us different cuisines, customs, cultures, places of interest which otherwise we might never experience. Who can forget the famous tulip gardens from ‘Silsila’, the waterways of Venice  in ‘Great Gambler’, the Swiss alps in DDLJ, the Egyptian Pyramids in ‘Singh is Kinng’ and the list goes on… Movies can throw light on various elements of the world of science such as DNA, forensic science, aviation etc. through sci-fi films. And would everyone know about ailments like dyslexia, progeria and schizophrenia without Taare Zameen Par, Paa and Karthik Calling Karthik. Movies educate us about issues like child marriage, child labour, female foeticide and marital issues. And movies bring to us various forms of dance & music from corners of the world. Then there are films like ‘Oh My God’ that coach the masses against superstition and blind-faith in a humorous way. And no one can deny the role of ‘Chak de India’ in bringing hockey back amongst the sports fans. Then there are movies like ‘Fashion’, ‘Corporate’, ‘Chandni Bar’ and ‘Page 3’ that bring the lives of various other professionals in front of us.
Thus, I’d like to conclude by saying that Indian cinema possesses the potential to tremendously influence the people – young & old alike. And they do this while entertaining them. Every coin does have 2 sides, but the earlier mentioned ills notwithstanding, its incontrovertible that Indian cinema plays a huge role in imparting education. If harnessed in a proper way, its efficacy to influence the public can be far-reaching. I end my thoughts with another Walt Disney quote- “Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood.”

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