Like many others, watching good entertaining and informative movies, is source of knowledge and entertainment for me.
Pakistan film industry has produced some good movies, still we have to go miles to attain the objective. We haven’t touched most of issues of our society considering them sensitive.
India film industry, on the other hand is not only vast and modern compared to ours; also some of their film makers have taken up topics considered taboo in our sub-continent culture.
We are neighboring countries- our issues and challenges are the same; we have illiteracy, inadequate health facilities, environmental issues and so many social evils.
There is a need to open up, discuss and highlight sensitive issues to create awareness among the common people using modern means of communication.
I would like to share here some of the Bollywood story-based movies that can be considered good creative work or they touch social issues.
Neerja- 2016:
The movie is based on real story of an Indian young airhostess who sacrificed her life to save passengers when her plane was hijacked by terrorist.
She bravely saved 360 passengers out of 380 on board. Twenty passengers were killed by the terrorists. She gave her life saving others in this tragic incident in 1986. Neerja Bhanot not only received Indian Bravery Award “Ashoka chakra Award” but Government of Pakistan also awarded her Tamgha-e-Pakistan.
Indian actress Sonum Kapoor played role as Neerja. The movie was released on 19th Feb, 2016 and had great business at box office.
Manto- 2018:
Manto was a great short story writer of the subcontinent. Although this movie didn’t impress many but it had great impact on serious audiences. Nawaz- Uddin- Siddiqui performed really well as Manto. The film was directed by Nandita Das.
The story tells us about some aspects of life of Saadat Hassan Manto- the way he described education system, culture, feelings of a sensitive writer, partition, helplessness of suppressed women. Nawaz uddin Siddique, the leading character in the film won Asia Pacific Screen Award as best actor.
Pad Maan 2017:
The movie was banned in Pakistan and Kuwait due to subject revolving around what is still considered taboo. It was a hit movie at the box office (2060m). It was released in China and Japan besides India.
The story revolves around a husband (Akshay Kumar) who loves his wife. As his expression of love to wife, he tries to make sanitary pads for her since they lived in a village where she and other women had no access to sanitary pads during menstruation.
After an arduous struggle, he succeeds in making sanitary pads to save many women from different types of infections they used to face. This movie won 3 Dada Sab Palkhy Awards.
- S. Dohni -2016:
This movie is based on the life of Indian living legend, cricket player Mahendra Singh Dohni. It tells about life of Indian cricket star, mapping his journey from a ticket collector to a celebrated cricketer. It is considered as a great sports movie. It had a business of 2160m at the box office.
Toilet, Aki Prem Katha,-2017:
A young girl who weds Akhshay Kumar, faces many problems due to the lack of toilet at home. The movie shows in Hindu traditions they can’t build toilets inside home and they go outside in grounds for latrine.
After frustration and in-laws’ pressure, she leaves her husband. Her husband convinces his parents, builds washroom after his mother slips in the courtyard. The mother was against having toilet inside but she realized importance of home toilet when she slipped and suffered serious injuries. It made a business of 3160 m in box office.
We also need to bring such sensitive but important issues in our discussion. We have so many issues that are right there in our society, but they are rarely taken up at an appropriate form.
An informed discussion is first step towards addressing any problem.
