History In India Must Be Presented Very Carefully: Anurag Thakur

In response to a question about why the government does not step in to protect filmmakers when they come into conflict with “fringe elements,” Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said that films are certified by the Central Board of Film Certification and that filmmakers approach courts when there is a controversy on Thursday at the India Forum at the Cannes Film Festival 2022.

Thakur was responding to the recent debate around Om Raut’s retelling of the epic Ramayana, “Adipurush,” starring Prabhas and Kriti Sanon.

According to Thakur, it is frequently seen that conflicts arise before movies are released but have little bearing on the content of the films themselves.

“We need to comprehend why these debates occur… I have other instances I could use. One needs to consider that, he said, adding that while there are “many films and numerous debates around them,” when they were exhibited even without editing, nothing occurred.

“Itihaas ko dekhkar kese prastut karte hain, ye sochne ki avashyakta hai (How one sees and then presents history, that has to be thought upon),” Thakur said.

Thakur stressed the importance of movies’ “soft power” and noted that India is the world’s top producer of motion pictures. He added that films help spread awareness of Indian culture and history around the world.

By 2030, the Indian film industry is predicted to be worth $100 billion. He went on to say that India has a “great opportunity” to take advantage of this since it has the necessary talent for filming, co-producing, and post-production.

Thakur also supported the government’s choice to require all channels to air 30 minutes of programming in the “national interest,” arguing that this should be a component of every company’s CSR and should not be viewed as a challenge for channels to provide.

“The government does not dictate what or when a station should broadcast. In truth, we don’t regulate and favour letting media outlets handle their own self-policing. For instance, it should be the media’s duty to notify its audiences in emergency situations.

This is already being done by several networks. Those who aren’t would now imitate them, he said.