Representation of social issues in films - Document (2024)

Author: Vineet Kaul

From: Madhya Pradesh Journal of Social Sciences(Vol. 19, Issue 1)

Abstract:

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the film industry hasconfronted, challenged, and explored various social issues through its films.The fundamental medium of this century that has the power to inspire peopleto consider the social issues of our time is film. Films do more thanentertain, they offer up subject positions, mobilise desires, influence usunconsciously, and help to construct the landscape of Indian culture. Thereis no refuting the astonishing power of movies. Movies provide us with aunique perspective from which to see Indian society and culture. Movies areimportant sociological and cultural documents that influence our perceptionsof both the past and the present. Deeply imbricated within material andsymbolic relations of power, movies produce and incorporate ideologies thatrepresent the outcome of struggles marked by the historical realities ofpower and the deep anxieties of the times; they also deploy power through theimportant role they play connecting the production of pleasure and meaningwith the mechanisms and practices of powerful teaching machines. Put simply,films both entertain and educate to deal with our social issues.

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Introduction

The world cinema journey began in silence. Movies were createdwithout sound as the technology of sound was not available in the beginning.A device did not exist that could synchronise sound with the picture. Cinemaremained silent for the first 30 years until sound technology was developedlate in the 1920s. For all practical purposes, in the world of cinema thewords 'film' and 'movies' are synonymous. A movie usuallyrefers to a motion picture for the masses whereas a film is something withmore artistic and or educational appeal. A film's primary purpose isthat of entertainment. Social awareness, consciousness, commentary and changeare all byproducts that a film may invoke. Just as with food, good foodprovides not only calories but nutrition. If a film makes a connection withthe audience, if it entertains, inspires, and motivates then that is a filmthat creates awareness. Films for any region represent the society, itsculture, economy and all that is associated with human institutions. Apartfrom entertainment, it plays a major role in transforming the structures andat the same time abiding by the root values and generates dialogue, sparkspolicy change, and/or activates communities around key social issues. Theychange the perception of individuals; add new dimensions and perspectivesthrough the popularly conceived stories. Films released of late are somehowassociated with the problems and concerns that are shared by the people. Thehistory of world cinema has undergone a long course of research, creation andapplication of new techniques. Numerous methods have been tested and appliedto give film making a place in the finest of performing arts across theglobe. They tend to address certain issues which do not find enough space inother media. In India, films produced fall into different categoriesdepending on the regional audience for which they are primarily produced,language and the content of the film.

When we say a film means something, we are saying it has some kindof point to it. In other words, the film has something to say about some kindof issue: it comments upon this issue; it offers an explicit or implicitinterpretation of the issue. Meaning may also usefully be thought of as theexpression, and communication, of an impression, an observation, areflection, or a judgment about something; it may, furthermore, take the formof an argument about or a critique of this same phenomenon. In sum, todescribe a film as meaningful suggests that we perceive this film as offeringa way of making sense of something that it represents. Film has a uniquelypowerful ubiquity within human culture, education, leisure and propaganda.Since its beginning with the film 'Raja Harish Chandra' (1913), thefilm has remained the most powerful medium for mass communication in India.Film is a reflection of society, both present and past. The film and itsinnovations sometimes have to catch up with society but sometimes it leadssociety too. Films are stories; films are people who come out with ideasabout something they want to say, something they want to tell someone. Filmsare a form of communication and that communication, those stories, come fromsocieties--not just where society is at present and what it's doing nowbut where society has been. It's been this way for as long as movieshave been around! Film has the ability to touch the hearts and minds ofviewers, and if used responsibly it can carry the message of awareness andchange to a global audience. Film affects perceptions and beliefs concerningthe world and its inhabitants. Occasionally, a film maker lifts the veil froma hidden plight. It might be about an injustice to a minority, or thecourageous story of change brought about by a single individual, but eitherway it raises awareness on the issue at hand. One of the things people say tofilm reviewers over and over again are "It's just a film." Iadmit that sometimes when people talk about films, I have the same feeling.After some reflection, I realised why people use films to talk about so manydifferent social issues. Films, just like art, books and music, areexperiences we can have together, even if we are physically apart. It is onlyour personal filters that make each movie resonate or fall flat on each oneof us. We can all go and see the same film and each have a differentreaction. This shared experience is essentially the crux of why we talk aboutfilms to try to figure out social issues. The film is not enrichment. Seeinga person through their opinion is nourishment.

Using films to make a case for social change is a great way to getpeople to the table. Social problems, also called social issues, affect everysociety, great and small. Even in relatively isolated, sparsely populatedareas, a group will encounter social problems. Part of this is due to thefact that any member of a society living close enough together will haveconflicts. It's virtually impossible to avoid them, and even people wholive together in the same house do not always get along seamlessly. On thewhole though, when social problems are mentioned they tend to refer to theproblems that affect people living together in a society. The very nature ofsocial problems suggests that society itself is a problem. No country hasperfected a society where all are happy and where no problems exist. Perhapsthe individual nature of humans prevents this and as many people state,perfection may not be an achievable goal.

We all know the power that a film can hold. It can inspire,enlighten, and even, at times, enrage. The ability of film to invoke strongemotions from a worldwide audience is seen time and again through phenomenalsuccess of film. These are the kind of films that take the world by storm,grab our attention, and never let go. It is not possible to fully comprehendthe various facets of modern Indian culture without understanding Indianfilms. Although primarily a source of entertainment, Indian film hasnonetheless played an important role in carving out areas of unity betweenvarious groups and communities based on caste, religion and language. Indianfilm is almost as old as world film. On the one hand it has gifted to theworld great film makers like Satyajit Ray, it has also, on the other hand,evolved melodramatic forms of popular films which have gone beyond the Indianfrontiers to create an impact in regions of South West Asia.

Introduction of Indian Films

The history of Indian Cinema can be traced back to 1896 when thefamous Lumiere Brothers' of France demonstrated six soundless shortfilms in Bombay. Films arrived in India less than a year after the Lumieresfirst exhibited their cinematographic in Paris. When Lumiere brothersinvented cinema in the last decade of the 19th century, they did not quiterealise the fact that their invention would, in years to come, entertainmillions across the world in an unprecedented manner. India may have laggedbehind other countries in many fields but has maintained near parity in thefield of films. Only seven months after its inauguration (premier show) inFrance, Lumiere brothers' films were shown in Bombay for the first timeon 7 July 1896. In 1899, Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatwadekar made a film on awrestling match in Bombay. In 1901 Bhatwadekar made the first news reel. Thehonour of making the first feature film goes to Dada Saheb (Dhundiraj Govind)Phalke who made the first silent film Raja Harishchandra in 1913. Indiancinema has thus completed about a hundred years and feature films havecompleted a span of more than 80 years. On July 7, 1896, an agent who hadbrought equipment and films from France first showed his moving pictures inBombay. That was an important day in the social and cultural history of theIndian people. The first Indian-made feature film (3700 feet long) wasreleased in 1913. It was made by Dadasaheb Phalke and was called RajaHarishchandra. Based on a story from the Mahabharata it was a stirring filmconcerned with honour, sacrifice and mighty deeds. From then on manymythological films were made and took India by storm. Some of the mostimportant films ever made have tackled real world social issues, fromgenocide to hom*ophobia to corporate greed. As storytellers, activistscreenwriters recognise that social issues make great stories that can begut-wrenching, heart-tugging, funny, tragic, and interesting to watch.

In the new century, the idea of film-making in India has shiftedfrom merely conventional melodrama to films addressing some core issues. Filmmakers now hesitate least and do not care for market price. Box-officereports of films like Perzania, Black Friday, Water shows the acceptance ofthe changing trends by both the audience and the film makers. It is importantto note that not all films are intended to be agents of social change norshould they be. Sociopolitical nor the aesthetic questions which have becomedefinitive of the filmmaker's work are laid out in many Indian films.The Movie industry has always cast a bright light on the important socialissues of its time: Race prejudice, religious freedom, sexual orientation,infidelity, crime, substance abuse, political corruption, health issues,disabilities, scandals, anti-war sentiments, poverty, homelessness, classstruggles, women's rights, child abuse, teen angst, gangsters,anti-heroes, union causes and environmental issues are just a few of the manytopics that have been explored by Bollywood. In India, the Indian New Wave,also known as Art or Parallel Cinema set the stage for films that made socialcommentary. Satyajit Ray and Shyam Benegal are two of the many famousdirectors who helped set the stage for the new wave. Many of these films wonmajor prizes at the film festivals at Cannes, Venice and Berlin includingBimal Roy's Two Acres of Land (1953) and Ray's Apu Trilogyconsisting of Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and The World of Apu(1959). Indian cinema has reflected and responded to the societal changes andthis becomes evident when we see the changing image of its heroes and theirchanging attitudes towards women. Indian cinema continued to embrace andespouse this reformative attitude towards woman but at the same timeglorified motherhood, and fidelity among women.

Indian Cinema in the olden times was much more socially relevantthan today. Although there has been an advent of Bollywood movies with asocial issue as a backdrop recently but still the India in the movies of yoreis much more hard hitting and realistic as compared to today's movies.Or maybe, the social issues prevalent now are not that serious in nature aswas when India had just got freedom from the British in 1947. Filmmakers areone of the social conduits reflecting and commenting on society and thetimes. Motion pictures can highlight social issues from economic andenvironmental justice, women's health, and violence against women,worker rights, homelessness, discrimination and poverty to all forms of humanrights abuses. Good films can raise awareness and be a start to addressinglocal and global issues. They can educate about cultures, and give a broaderpolitical, religious, or social context. They can dispel long-heldmisconceptions as well as be a catalyst for social change

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Bollywood hasconfronted, challenged, and explored various social issues through itsfilms--Chandni Bar (2001), Peepli Live (2010), Taare Zameen Par (2007), 3Idiots (2010), Swades (2004), Rang De Basanti (2006), Hare Rama Hare Krishna(1971), Bombay (1995), Mother India (1957), Do Bigha Zameen (1953), Prem Rog(1982). Unbelievable but true--Indian filmmakers, criticised for promotingills like smoking and violence through their films, actually churn out moremovies endorsing social and family values than other genres. Of the 1,146movies made last year, a whopping 870 were 'social movies'--meaningbasically clean fare meant for family viewing. Though in previous yearsBollywood had produced a few patriotic films like Border, Gaddar: Ek PremKatha, Sarfarosh but there will be few takers today if we make the kind ofsocial films our predecessors made in the 1960s. In these days of stiffcompetition, we will have to go by the market trend. Even when making afamily drama, some amount of masala needs to be added to make the filmaudience-friendly. The best films both entertain audiences and provideviewers with opportunities to think about social problems. I suggest that themodern social problem film obligates its audience to perform a morallyresponsible act of spectatorship as a means of resecuring the social bondwithin the collective realm of the audience. Therefore, more films on socialissues should be produced to enhance understanding of the most recent trendswhich social science research, University Professors have recommended.

Over the last 20 years, India's rapid economic growth and theexpansion of its middle class has had the effect of turning commercial Hindicinema into a dream factory, full of glossy urban characters, speakingHinglish, draping themselves in designer labels and hanging out at the mall.But now, economic development has brought about a social and cinematictipping point, with a middle class that is large, bold and fed up enough toconfront the political and social problems that beset their country--both inreality and on screen. A spate of recent movies addressing poverty andcorruption is fast becoming a welter, as India's domestic audiencedemands more realism, and film-makers recognise the commercial and creativepotential of grittier material. Last year saw dirty policing dealt with inDabang and political gangsters tackled head-on in Raajneeti. The suicides ofindebted farmers and the feeding frenzies that constantly grip India's24-hour news media were brutally exposed in the brilliant Peepli Live.

This year has already seen Goa's drug culture unveiled in DumMaro Dum, while two films currently showing here and in India, Aarakshan andSingham created box-office waves while handling issues that are politicalminefields. Made within the conventional Bollywood model--songs, dance,romance, comedy and action all rolled into one--they deal with corruption andbureaucracy and, in the case of Aarakshan, the perennially difficult matterof caste. The autumn saw the launch of Force, about a policeman who, stymiedby corruption and procedures, takes the law into his own hands: India'sown Dirty Hari, if you like. Saamna' of Raj Kumar Santoshi also hasraised a number of social issues. The showman of tinsel town Subhash Ghaiexplains that the subjects of all his films are related to the society.According to the filmmaker, his current film Black and White will alsorepresent another social issue (terrorism).

India is one of the world's major film producers, next only,in respect of the number of motion pictures produced, to the U.S.A. andJapan. Moreover, in a country like India where the literacy rate is low, thecinema and television are the best and the most effective audiovisual mediaas they open the flood gates of communication and heighten the effectivenessand acceptability of the message sought to be conveyed. Films are verypowerful in influencing how we think about ourselves and the social world welive in. This course is an opportunity to explore social stratification andthe messages we receive about race, gender, social class, and sexualitythrough films. There are many social problems facing the world in the modernage; as the world copes with newly developing nations, globalisation,technological advancement and reforms in society, addressing these issueswill become more and more important for the quality of life. The world hasnever before provided so much potential for prosperity and happiness, but itis also true that the divide between the rich and the poor has never beengreater. Additionally, not everyone understands or knows their place in theworld due to the impact of globalisation, immigration and the loss of socialidentity. While social identity was never a major issue in the past forsmaller scale societies, it is now coming to a head in the modern age. Commonsocial issues involve deprived people and communities, social injusticeaffecting those most vulnerable, and the previously stated class divides.Healthcare, economics, politics and human geography are also significantsocial concerns.

Films and Social Issues

Films and social issues/theme/message/drama have been dating eachother for a long time. The landscape of films that addresses social change isdynamic and there are many innovations and interesting inflexion points thathave happened. Films can be an effective way to spark discussion on a varietyof social issues themes. The movie industry has always cast a bright light onthe important social issues of its time. Since the beginning of the 20thcentury, the film industry has confronted, challenged, and explored varioussocial issues through its films. Social issue films are an excellent resourcefor teaching social issues.

For academic discussion, the primary purpose of a movie (orfeature film) is entertainment and for the theatres that make profit fromthem. The purpose of a film (typically documentaries) is to generateawareness. However, the two are not mutually exclusive. The real action hereis not aesthetic innovation but balls-out posturing on inflammatory issueswhich today's Bollywood would not touch with a 10-foot pole: abortion,anarchism, child welfare, workplace safety, union organising, atheism... Amust-have package, Treasures is a primer on a lot of stuff you didn'tknow existed, a giant step in the true movie-pilgrim's progress. It isargued that with hundreds of films now circulating each year, it isimpossible for any academic, critic or cinephile to consider and meaningfullyengage with every work produced in this country yet questions have to beraised with regard to why some films are considered part of the nationalcinema and others are not. The awards season in Bollywood is by its verynature a self-congratulatory affair. But this year, the filmmakers say theirserious, somber movies really do matter--not just as entertainment or art,but as politically and socially. Abuse, domestic violence and mental illnessare very real issues that can affect a person's life regardless of race,creed, sex, age or colour. They are topics that are not regularly discussedaround polite dinner tables. As difficult as it can be to talk about violenceand mental illness, they are very serious social issues that exist for manypeople today. This is where film can play a vital role in raising awareness.Bollywood thinks the movies are important again.

The world is changing now faster than you and I change our socks!It is constantly changing and that constantly changing world is going toinduce more movie-making. Talented young people may ask: in a sea of filmsproduced since the last century, how does one select a film that makes it tothe top? Can the well-crafted social-issue film survive in an increasinglypolarised production environment, tending toward the scrappy YouTube video onone end and the IMAX special on the other? For well over a century, filmshave figured prominently in the public sphere as a powerful means ofpersuasion. Using all the available means of persuasion and coercion at theirdisposal, social movements have collectively developed a diverse set oftactics and strategies to prompt social change. Films use allegory throughsymbolic representation to convey a meaning other than the literal. Familydynamics encompass all the relationships of friends and family which help tomold the people we become. Many stars have embraced these values and havebecome a beacon of integrity and love for an adoring public. Films leave longlasting impact on the minds of viewers. Many social and cultural issues havebeen presented in the form of films to communicate special messages and someof these aspire to change the world. Films on social-issues can beconceptualised as an intervention into a complex and ongoing network ofactivities and can sensitise policy makers concerned about the issue raised.Filmmakers are one of the social conduits reflecting and commenting aboutsociety and the times. Motion pictures can highlight social issues fromeconomic and environmental justice, women's health, violence againstwomen, worker rights, homelessness, discrimination and poverty to all formsof human rights abuses. Good films can raise awareness and be a start toaddressing local and global issues. They can educate about cultures, and givea broader political, religious, or social context. They can dispel long-heldmisconceptions as well as be a catalyst for social change. However, filmsthat reflect the interests of social movements are important but to what endsand in what rhetorical situations are these strategies most effective forsocial change?

A social problem film is a narrative film that integrates a largersocial conflict into the individual conflict between its characters. Likemany film genres, the exact definition is often in the eye of the beholder,but Bollywood did produce and market a number of topical films, thebox-office heyday, and the term "social problem" or"message" film was conventional in its usage among the filmindustry and the public. The social problem film combines social analysis anddramatic conflict within a coherent narrative structure. Social content istransformed into dramatic events and movie narrative adapted to accommodatesocial issues as story material through a particular set of movieconventions. These conventions distinguish the social problem film as agenre. The important distinguishing feature of the genre is its didacticism.It deals with social themes very much on the surface of the dramatic action.

Bollywood or the Hindi film industry of India which producesalmost 1000 films every year is the world's largest film industry. Fromthe time the first Indian sound film, Alam Ara was produced in 1931 till thepresent decade, this industry has a remarkably rich history of producing avariety of movies, showcasing different spheres of Indian life, in myriadthemes. We learn many lessons about social life from watching films. Popularfilms reveal our ideals and expectations about social life in a myriad ofways. Some of the most common themes in contemporary films revolve aroundsocial life and the accompanying problems that living in today's societyentails. Many of the movies produced in Bollywood are unrealistic escapistfare capitalising on dramatic situations in order to sell more tickets.However, we still look up to films for messages about how we should live ourlives. What we learn from the movies provides us with a template for our lifewhich we often use to measure our own experiences. Unfortunately, most of thetime Bollywood shows us life not as it is, but as the filmmaker thinks itshould be. Sometimes the images and ideals we glean from film can lead tostereotypical and unrealistic expectations about social life. Theseexpectations also can divert us from the real issues that people face intoday's society, such as stresses imposed by an increasingly competitivejob market, instability in terms of wages and benefits, the possibility,sometimes the reality, of losing one's job due to downsizing or otherfactors. However, there are motion pictures that challenge conventionalstereotypes and tell gripping stories about realistic, albeit fictional,situations. Films can be a powerful and persuasive vehicle for making us lookat the world in a new and different way. Movies can inspire us to criticallyexamine the lives we lead and understand ourselves and our relationshipswithin society more clearly. Even with the dramatisation that makes thestories so compelling to watch, we can see the kernel of truth that liesbeneath the surface. Applying our sociological imagination to these filmsalso enables us to develop a keener sense of awareness and understandingabout the lives of others in our society today.

Film a Caractere Social

Social realist film is a genre which focuses on narratives whichchallenge and protest against contemporary social issues, preferring tostimulate the audience's intellect, rather than provide entertainmentdevoid of intellectual issues, where in-depth individual interpretation isfruitless and actively discouraged. Social realism actively antagonises the'lowest common denominator' style of filmmaking which pervadesBollywood, choosing to target a niche market, largely composed of welleducated middle class individuals in possession of significant culturalcapital--such films are largely misunderstood by the majority ofcinema-goers, leaving them dumbfounded at the lack of comedy violence orgratuitous sex scenes. Artist is not a messenger. True, it is artist'sresponsibility to penetrate into issues of the society that he lives, doin-depth analysis and recreate and reconstruct the reality of the societythat he lives in and depict certain social realities in a manner that wouldleave the audience with a sense of aesthetic enlightenment.

Social realism, therefore, should be celebrated and widelyconsumed, yet it flounders in today's media environment, suffering fromlimited distribution as a result of the tiny production budgets available toindependent directors. Exhibition too is limited, largely restricted to arthouse or independent cinemas. Another 'symptom' (and perhapscause--many people are disconcerted by the mis-enscene of typical socialrealist films) of the miniscule production budget typical of social realistfilms is the low production values. Despite the widely held view that lowquality is entirely undesirable more analytical, niche audiences prefer theimmersive style employed, as it better conveys the gritty, bleak prospectsintended as preferred readings for the majority of productions.

Since the medium of cinema was invented, realism has always beenits concern, and in the case of Indian cinema social concern that searchesfor realist expression, is something that has always been discussed. The term'realism' has often been confused with 'naturalism', adramatic idiom used to describe the attempts by drama to represent theappearance of 'real' situations. The intention of realism is toreproduce the 'real' in the guise of 'reality' (Williams,1977). This is done through the construction of cinematic narrative composedby 'interlocking shots' (Silverman, 2000); the relationship betweenthose shots creates meaning. Through the complex 'suture' systemwhere disparate and contradictory elements of the text are sewn together toform a coherent textual fabric, the mechanisms of realist film becometransparent (Oudart, 1977). This process conceals the labour of production:lighting, set design, sound effects, postproduction shot selection, editingprocess, and all the technologies involved in film production which areanything but seamless and unconstructed. Therefore, the prerogative ofcinematic 'realism' is contentious precisely because many realistfilms are not actually 'true' to reality (Henriques, 1986). Realistrepresentational strategies, dependent on the efficiency of their disguise,are grounded in cultural and social value systems, which define the politicsof the film's images. (5) Through the presentation of apparentlyunquestioned images, realist filmmaking is designed to naturalise andnormalise the customs and practices of the cultural hegemony under which itlabours. The study of realist cinema is 'about how consciousness andsystems of value are created and either bind society together or illuminateits fissures' (Millor, 1999). The concept of social realism is rathercomplex, since it is not something like genre, which has collectivecharacteristics on style and mode of narrative, it has been treated as one.With a specific subject (working class lives), filmic treatment (naturalism),political orientation (leftist) and iconography (industrial city, councilestates etc.), these characteristics hold a range of films together under thename of social realism; however, it is always controversial since no onecould define how many of these characteristics a film should have to becategorised as a social realist film. There is a wide grey zone around thisconcept. Supposedly that is why this concept fascinated academics, criticsand most filmmakers.

Cinema is one of the most effective forms of mass communication inIndia. The Bollywood industry is known to influence its audienceeffortlessly. Some films fade with time, others stay. There are moviesaplenty, but very few remain etched in your memory and possess recall value.Cinema evolved as some people felt the need to express themselves to thepublic in a different way than just words. It is an improvement over drama.Drama came into existence to enlighten the public about social issues duringthe freedom struggle. Films have always been an expression of creative minds.Popular films symbolise the successful merging of a creative mind andpeople's view. That is what some films are doing today. They areidentifying with the experiences of this country and expressing them to sharethese experiences with every individual. Many of us may have read that around150 acid attacks on women take place in Pakistan every year and Ms SharmeenObaid Chinoy, won an Oscar for portraying the trauma, helplessness andstruggles of women disfigured by such violence in her country. Pakistan hadlast year passed the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill, under whichan attacker faces a prison sentence of 14 years to life; besides a Rs. onemillion fine ([pounds sterling]7,000; $12,000).Thejournalist-turned-filmmaker from Karachi is now keen to make a short film onthe mutual concerns that Pakistan and India share on social issues. It isbringing to light a common theme, a step towards a common dream.

Now-a-days, we are seeing a trend of movies with a social message.Defy the trend of worn-out commercial cinema and swim against thetide--that's the new mantra of new-age film-makers! These movies arehigh on substance and make a comment on the social issues our country isfacing. Movies like Rang De Basanti, Lage Raho Munnabhai, Munnabhai MBBS,Swades, Lajja, My Bother Nikhil, Nayak, Chandni Bar and Yuva are someexamples. These films are the need of the hour as they are not just packagedto be commercially viable; but are movies with messages that speak aboutIndian society not in the past but in the present. The Indian cine-goers aregradually getting used to path-breaking concepts in Hindi films. In thisfast-changing scenario, the new-age writers and directors are picking upstories that are realistic, identifiable, and straight out of life. Theresult is therefore the movies are thought-provoking and strike a chord withits audience. In the 1960s and 1970s, patriotism in Hindi films often turnedjingoistic. It looked forced, at times unreal; the attempt to arousepatriotic feelings was hardly subtle. The genre is treated differently today.Patriotism in Hindi films looks real, it is not loud anymore, and it isjuxtaposed smoothly in the narrative.

Films like Rang De Basanti (RDB) and Lage Raho Munnabhai (LRM)have gone beyond entertaining people. Movies like RDB are a bitter medicinedose whereas movies like LRM are deliciously uplifting and are like sweethomeopathic pills. Both subjects are diverse in content but common inmessage. Both films are contemporary and preach strong statements byrealising the need of the hour without getting too preachy. RDB takes a lookat how every individual can help make a difference. RDB is not just a sliceof history; it is history repeating itself in our everyday life. Whileearlier films depicted patriotism nonetheless, they were loud and somewherefailed to touch you. But with this modern day version of the Bhagat Singh,which manages to transmit the message in a manner with which the youth (thefilm's target audience) can easily identify. The film has managed tobrilliantly echo the ideologies that our freedom fighters believed so veryfirmly in. The cause is very important in this film and it makes it apowerful film because it has this cause. This film portrays the ambiguity ofIndia. It is a film about what comes after pure, white innocence of ouryouth. And it asks that we paint the difference. The film succeeds inpricking your conscience.

While RDB used the blend of emotions, drama, light moments andpatriotism, LRM used what most of us did not even know existed intoday's fast paced world--Mahatma Gandhi. Yes, we have all read abouthim in school but the movie infuses a good dose of what the film's mainprotagonist calls 'Gandhigiri', generously on the audience. And thebest part is that it works. LRM is simple yet it conveys the most complicatedmessage effectively and effortlessly. LRM shows us how principles installedby the great freedom fighter can be used in contemporary India as well tosolve every problem, irrespective of its magnitude. As the film rightlypoints out, the method maybe slow but at the end of the day it is foolproof.The film also makes you laugh. It touches you and makes you think without theuse of melodrama.

Another such film, My Brother Nikhil is also an effort in thedirection of tackling social issues. It speaks about the HIV/AIDS issue. Notmuch is still known about the deadly disease. The misconceptions about theillness and how it affects the individual and his/her entire family, havebeen narrated in the most profoundly moving manner. Clearly, Hindi cinema iscoming of age and issues such as HIV / AIDS and gay relationships are beingdiscussed with the same freedom and openness as any other issue. My BrotherNikhil works for the aforesaid reasons and also for the emotional quotient ithas to offer.

A few more movies which have had an impact, deserve to bementioned. Swades comments on the need to utilise our country's talentand resources for the economic growth of our country. Lajja highlights issuesaffecting the women in Indian society. It also exposes the stark truth thatplagues our society. It talks about women who have either been tormented orexploited by men for their selfish gains.

These movies do not have item numbers or Punjabi Bhangra remixes,but yet they are box office hits. The reason behind this is that they talkabout a life that people can relate to, a world that many of us haveexperiences of a country that most of us live in. These films are laudable,highly inspiring and are eye-openers; the best part is that the Indian masseswill be able to identify with the goings-on. Because these movies havesubstance, they make a point which is well taken by the public, especially bythe youth. These movies do not advice the public but are thought provoking.They push us into a state of awareness of our social issues, however small orbig, like corruption, medical system, educational system, politics, religiousissues, etc. These kinds of movies unleash the real world to us along withits various drawbacks and also provide us with some inputs on some effectiveand novel ways of dealing with these issues. It is the way the treatment ofthe subject is done that makes them different. At last, we have movies whichcater more to the elite and the thinking viewer. It is interesting how filmsin India are changing. And if the trend continues, the most powerful mediumcan be used to make the most powerful statements.

Awards for Best Film on Social Issues

The National Film Awards were first presented in the year 1954.From 1973, the award ceremonies are administrated by the IndianGovernment's Directorate of Film Festivals. The national awards aregiven to encourage the films directed across the nation. Each year theGovernment appoints a national panel to select the winning entry. Thenational award ceremonies are generally held in New Delhi and the awards arepresented by the President of India to the winners for the year. The'Best Film on Social Issues' award is one of the sub-categories ofNon-Feature Film Awards which was introduced in 1997. The award was presentedto films covering issues including prohibition, women and child welfare,dowry, drug abuse, and welfare of the handicapped. The inaugural award waspresented to O.K. Johnny for the film 'Silent Screams: A VillageChronicle'. O.K. Johnny is a documentary film-maker, media and filmcritic in Malayalam who has also authored four books on film and culturalhistory of Wayanad. It is one of several awards presented for feature filmsand awarded with Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus). In a hotly contested awards racethis season, several Bollywood companies have found themselves walking atightrope, as they seek attention for films that are tightly wound arounddifficult social issues without alienating parties to the debate or seemingto exploit human suffering for the sake of a prize.

The Ford Foundation has announced the launch of JustFilms, afive-year, $50 million initiative to help find and support a new generationof filmmakers whose works address urgent social issues.

When I look back, I think of Ray, who took Indian cinema to theinternational arena. I think of Raj Kapoor, who did likewise with films likeAwaara and Shri 420. His films gave the people new hope: after Independencethere was so much of frustration in the country, partly because so manypeople had migrated and had to build their lives anew. Other pioneers wereGuru Dutt, who made Pyaasa and Sahib, Bibi aur Gulam; Bimal-da (Bimal Roy)who made Do Bigha Zamin, Sujata, Bandhini and Madhumati; Mehboob Khan, whomade Aan, India's first technicolour film, Andaaz, the most advanced andmodern film on gender relations, and Mother India; V. Shantaram, who madeJhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje and Do Aankhen Baarah Haath, which won him aninternational award; and, of course, Shyam Benegal. All of them made filmswith a purpose and with total conviction. On seeing their films one could seethat they were totally committed to the film medium. They not only portrayreality, but also provoke discussions.

Films are a means to both illuminate key social issues and themes,as well as understand the logic of representations. We can contrast theempirical research and autobiographical treatments that explore inequalitieswith the representations presented in films. While there are sociologicalunderstandings of race, films also shape our thinking about racial groups andthe meaning of group membership. Media also influence our understandings ofgender, sexuality, social class divisions, social mobility, and other issuesin social stratification. We will look at films with an eye on the depictionof these issues. We can also think about the impact of such films on our ownthinking about our social location and expectations.

The most important concern about real film at this time is togenerate acceptance amid the audience for certain films and as one can noticethat is surely changing. Real film means more awareness and that is oneessential component of democracy.

References

Henriques Jacque (1988) 'Realism and the New Language'(1986), in Judith Williamson, ed., _Black Film/British Cinema_ (London: ICADocuments, 1988).

Miller Toby (1999) 'Introduction', in Toby Miller andRobert Stam, eds, _A Companion to Film Theory_ London: Blackwell, p. 4.

Oudart Jean-Pierre (1977) 'Cinema and Suture', andStephen Heath, 'Notes on Suture', both in _Screen_, vol. 18 no. 4,Winter 1977/78.

Silverman Kaja (2000) 'Suture (1983): The CinematicModel', in Paul Du Gay, Jessica Evans, and Peter Redman, eds, _Identity:A Reader_ (London: The Open University/Sage Publications, 2000), p. 77.

Williams Raymond (1977) 'A Lecture on 'Realism",_Screen_, vol. 18 no. 1, Spring 1977.

Vineet Kaul, Research Scholar, Communication and Media Department,Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information Communication and Technology,University, Gandhinagar (Gujarat)

E-mail: vineetkaul2404@gmail.com

Kaul, Vineet