Hello Readers,
Today I am going to discuss about Postcolonial theory. Postcolonial theory is outdated but now has an even more necessary to play in making these links visible in the contemporary time. Because our mindset are still colonial and that’s why one or another way we continuously sing a song of white person or the white world and we feel privilege. Here is a study of Hindi movies in which postcolonial themes and concepts are presented well.
The Indian movie Lagaan which was directed by director Ashutosh Gowariker in 2001. The background of this movie is India was a colony of England in 1893. At that time, Indian people was endure poor and starving, also all the farmers in India have to pay lots tax to the British government for the protection of India. In this movie Captain Andrew Russell, the commanding officer of the Champaner are gas imposed high taxes (the meaning for Lagaan) on the people from the local villages due to the prolonged drought. Upset, the villagers are led by a young boy named Bhuvan, who begs the Raja to help. The Raja tells them, he is bound by British law and cannot help them. While visiting the Raja, the villagers witness a cricket match. Bhuvan mocks the game and gets into a fight with one of the officers. Russell immediately dislikes Bhuvan and makes a bet with him, stating he will cancel the taxes for three years if the…
Nationalism:
People is always emotional when Nation comes. Some time people became fool on nationalism. In this movie Indian people play cricket for their taxes. when nation history comes people get emotional or angry.
Post-Colonialism :
In India we see the effect of ruled. India get independence in 1947. we live in 12th century but we many ways follow them. IAS, IPS, Governor, many position till now not change. Indian national game is hockey but in India all people love cricket which is national game of England
Situation of subalterns:
Subaltern means marginalization in caste, gender, race, etc by hegemony of power. Power position and elite class are discourse maker and other are inferior. This little beat concept about subaltern. So, in this movie we can see various aspects like gender, caste, culture through subaltern study. Through caste base, First there is one marginalized character his name is Kachra belong to lower class. Further, when Bhuvan elect Kachra in the village team then teammate deny to take him as team member because he is untouchable. Second subaltern in the gender role, gauri's character is marginalized. When Bhuvan looking for to make team then Gauri wants to play a game but her father ask her to do household work, and also all the women characters are passive in the movie. And third one is cultural marginalization. Here we can compare two women character one is Elizabeth is teaching the rules of cricket to win the bet for lagaan and otherside Gauri worship to God for victory. So, here we can say that movie portrayed Indian Culture and psychology inferior to British culture and psychology. fourth living manner and styel between both cultures also make superiority and inferiority. During that time people of lower cast has no reputation in society . People called them untouchable(achhut). People of upper cast treat them as a slave. Today also this untouchable people has same problem.In movie there was one character named Kachra. His name mentioned his cast and how was the mentality of people in society for this cast.When Bhuvan decided to take Kachra in his team other players were not ready to play with him because he was untouchable.Here we can see that the subaltern ' s situation . In India ,people have still that mentality for untouchable people, though we called ourselves Educated.
Patriarchy:
As we all know that many Bollywood movie are based on patriarchal ideas. This movie also follow the tradition of our movies. If we talk about the patriarchal elements in the movie we first see the marginalization of women in the character untouchable lizabeth, Arjan's wife and sister, Bhuvan's Mother all are passive and voiceless. When Gauri wanted to play cricket then her father told her to do household work and said this is not women's work. second is Elizabeth, when he tries to help Indian cricket team and her brother come to know about that matter he also scold her and to made her aware to do not go to village. Third are Arjan's wife and sister who not come out outside from the home when the villagers dances outside because of Arjan's restrictions. And at last Bhuvan's mother also a voiceless even she is veteran and has power to handle all thing and give good suggestions to Sarpanch but patriarchal ideology never accept. Character of sardar also had burning desire to fight with Britishers and make India free from slavery . Bhuvan 's all action present his patriotic spirit. They were ready to sacrifice themselves for the nation.
Problematic name for the untouchablen :
In the film there is one character named "Kachra". He was untouchable and his name also eflects the unwantedness of the character. It was really very problematic.
Lakha and Elizabeth:
As both these characters are doing injustice with their nation, still there are so many difference between them. Elizabeth is helping Bhuvan for the sake of fair justice with Indians, without any selfish motive. On the other hand Lakha was in love with Gauri(beloved of Bhuvan) and in jealousy he did wrong thing by revealing each and every secret of his team to the Britishers. Their Karma is same but their motif is different.
Cricket :
Cricket is the Metaphor of Post colonialism. In this film it also seen as the symbol of fear and freedom. All the villagers don't know how to play the cricket. if they loose in the match they have to pay three times more text. but it is also symbol of hope and freedom. if they win the match they should not pay text for three years so they have bright future ahead. Cricket is normality metaphor of post colonialism because to get the freedom they have to play cricket which is not known by any Villagers. But villagers defeat Britishers in their own Game.
Unity in this movie :
Director highlights or present the main characteristic of India that is 'unity in diversity'. The cricket team which was made by Bhuvan included member from all religions and ideologies. Sikh, muslim, brahmin, untouchable etc. He is not doind any type of injustice with any memeber and treted each member equally. Therefore, there is unity in diversity.
Teamwork and Leadership:
teamwork and leadership is main aspects of this movie, we can say that this is major factor of this film. Leadership is not an easy task, leadership is both a research area and a practical skill encompasses the ability of an individual or organization to lead or guide other individuals and teams. Similarly, Bhuvan also tries to buildup team for the betterment of the village so he tries everything to make unity in the team for the battlement.
Rang De Basanti :
Rang De Basanti is 2006 Indian Drama film written , produced and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The literal meaning of the title can be translated as ‘ Paint me with the colors of the spring’. The story is about British documentary filmmaker who is determine to make film on Indian freedom fighters based on a diary entries by her grandfather, former officer in Indian Imperial police. It’s like play within play narration and framed narrative is artistically edited in black and white sequences of history and present situation. Men to act in her film. They don’t take it seriously but after experienced that emotion and feeling of patriotism by living in rural Punjab acting being more effective and lively. Rang De Basanti celebrated violent path and the Gandhian path breakers like Azad Bhagat Singh, Bismil, Khan and Durgadevi.
The intersecting of time, history, narrative and subjectivity unfolds an intermeshed trajectory of notions about history's role in shaping views about nationalism and identity in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's popular film, Rang De Basanti. This movie addresses a confluence of the pedagogic and the performative modes of history in relation to nationalism and modernity in the film. History, taught via return, is experienced as otherness and eventually performed via a remediation of this otherness, thereby making it relevant to contemporary times. Offering diverse theoretical arguments about history and its narration, I also propose that history, although laden with mimetic impulses and desires for the male characters, excludes the women from mimetic agency. A Levinasian reading of the film's conclusion ultimately resolves the confines of historical determinism and reveals an aesthetic of mimeticism premised on ethical desire for transformative imperative that effectively displays history's otherness as well as its subjective performance.
British and Indian :
The film is rich for both colonial as well as post colonial critics to unearth the meanings. Somehow, it seems that the colonial hangover is more powerfully captured than post colonial awareness. When we look at this film as postcolonial way we find some interesting things but for that we have to open our eyes and think critically then and then we observed at micro level. In the movie when British female protagonist She came on Indian airport at that time how Indian people gathered to meet her with excitement, so it’s shows Indian mindset and the impact of white person on our mind. There are two point of views to look this movie Outsider and Insider. When outsider sees the act of bribe it’s illegal for them but in India, it become normal for us.
When Sukhi is shot, DJ is genuinely surprised that they are being attacked with bullets. Earlier as they hug each other, they sincerely believe that they will only go to jail after having their voice heard by the nation. This plan echoes Bhagat Singh's plan when he discusses with Azad how they should cause an explosion in the parliament and have their voices against British imperialism heard; Bhagat Singh believed that they could have a huge impact with this strategy. Karan Singhania and DJ, likewise, believed that they would be able to bring the real story of the cause of Ajay's death.There are many other echoes of history voiced in the lives of contemporary actors. The candlelight vigil, observed in memory of Ajay Rathod, at India Gate is reminiscent of the candlelight pledge taken by the Indian nationalists against British imperialism.
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