India-Eastern August 19: "The Tale of Kerala" is among a group of films that raise concerns that Bollywood is broadcasting cultural propaganda to mobilize support for the ruling party in India ahead of the elections.
The trailer for the film, which is topping the box office in India, notes that the work depicts "innocent girls... trafficked for terrorism," while asserting that it is "inspired by many true stories."
The film, which tells a fictional story about a Hindu woman who converts to Islam and becomes extremist, ranked second in terms of revenue in 2023.
Critics and other recently released films have accused him of spreading lies and fomenting divisions, including by demonizing the Muslim minority, ahead of national elections scheduled for next year.
"I suggest all political parties benefit from my film... use it for political gain," director Sudipto Sen said, in response to an AFP question about his political leanings.
The world's largest democracy has a long history of film censorship, but critics point out that the sector is increasingly producing films that share the same ideology as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist government.
Cinema has a special appeal for Indians and is thus an unparalleled medium in its ability to reach the public, according to journalist and writer Nilanjan Mukupadhyay.
Under Modi, films have been increasingly used to spread divisive messages that reinforce prejudices known to political leaders, according to AFP.
"These films do the same thing: convey hatred to people... to create prejudices against religious minorities," he added.
