The Oscar goes to... American delusion

The announcement of the Oscar nominations this year has excited us here in India, even though no film even made it to the shortlist. Every year, there is a lot of excitement, helped along by efficient PR departments about which film is going to be “India’s entry for the Oscars”.

This year it was to be Barfi!, the story of a deaf-mute made watchable by the charming presence of Ranbir Kapoor. The sobering fact is that it was just one of the scores of films sent to be shortlisted and, sadly but not surprisingly, did not make it to the final list.
But India did get a consolation prize, in the shape of a nomination for Bombay Jayashri for her lullaby in Tamil for the Life of Pi, itself a movie with Indian actors and an Indian setting. Alas, Bombay Jayashri is not part of the Bollywood set and perhaps does not have a big PR machine behind her; the hosannas have been very subdued. And so one more year goes by with the largest film industry in the world being ignored.
The real story, however, is about the films that have got nominated for various awards in Hollywood. The Oscars may be bigger, more glamorous and definitely more prestigious, but the Golden Globes, despite representing the verdicts of less than 100 foreign film correspondents, are no less indicative of what the film community is thinking. Extrapolating from this the American national mood may be a bit of a stretch, but there is little doubt that the films that have been made and, more importantly, have worked with the audiences during the year do reflect a certain frame of mind.
The nominations for Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln, Django Unchained, all show that the Academy, if not the country itself, loves heroes who fight for a cause, and its patriots, who fight for American values against all odds.
Writing in the Guardian, commentator Rachel Shabi, about Argo, Zero Dark Thirty (both winners at Golden Globes) and the popular series Homeland, points out: “The three winners have all been sold as complex, nuanced productions that don’t shy away from hard truths about US foreign policy. And liberal audiences can’t get enough of them. Perhaps it’s because, alongside the odd bit of self-criticism, they are all so reassuringly insistent that, in an increasingly complicated world, America just keeps on doing the right thing. And even when it does the wrong thing — such as, I don’t know, torture and drone strikes and deadly invasions — it is to combat far greater evil, and therefore OK.”
American heroism, in the name of not only national but universal values, is therefore acceptable. Which is why, war films, especially where brave soldiers die to protect the motherland, are often very successful, not just in America but also in India. They provide moral clarity and if at all soldiers indulge in any unspeakable acts like torture, it is for the greater good of the motherland. (Kathryn Bigelow has justified the scenes of torture in Zero Dark Thirty.) Enemy soldiers who may also indulge in similar acts are, of course, barbarians and worse.
The fiery debates in the last few days in the Indian media are a good example of this attitude. There was a time when the press, in its objective and professional way, used to write straightforward, almost cold stories about soldiers being killed in border skirmishes. They were soldiers, after all, and were sent there to do a job; that they died was unfortunate, but that was a risk every soldier took.
Today, soldiers are called “brave hearts” and “martyrs” and the death, however gruesome, of two of them is sufficient reason to go to war with a nuclear state. Where did this militaristic culture come from?
India’s relationship with the defence forces has been one of respect for their professionalism. We equate them with patriotism and bravery; this Republic Day, once again, we will play filmi songs about sacrifice and valour and show “desh bhakti” movies about soldiers on television. We cheer the tableaux showing our latest guided missiles and tanks and go to sleep at night knowing that our borders are safe. We are ready to ignore any human rights violations that the soldiers may commit, perhaps justifying it as the price to pay to keep insurgency under control.
The corruption scandals that have hit the Army have besmirched its image and the behaviour of some top officers have left us bemused. But, on the whole, it is an institution that is admired. As it should be, since it has retained its professional and secular character.
Beyond that, it is important to know what role they play in a democracy. There is always an undercurrent among Indians of the need for greater discipline in the nation. “What this country needs is the danda,” is a phrase we have heard often enough. It reflects impatience with democracy, the law and due process. In the same vein, patriotism is associated with muscularism and a display of brute strength. And the Army is the most visible symbol of this kind of muscularity.
Fortunately, our own Army commanders are sensible enough to understand that they cannot indulge in cheap street talk. It is okay for politicians to bay for blood and ask for 10 Pakistani heads as the price for an Indian one or excitable television anchors to itch to press the nuclear button, but Army officers (the serving ones) have been generally subdued and low-key in their response. This is admirable.
Mumbai’s producers routinely make war films — after the Kargil War, there was a rash of them (and they will all be dutifully shown on January 26). It is interesting to know that none of them have won Filmfare awards for best film or script. Indians, it appears, either do not make great war films or award givers tend not to get overly impressed with them.
It will be interesting to see who finally wins the Oscar for best film. Bigelow’s film, The Hurt Locker, less rah-rah than this one, was the best film of 2009. Argo harks back to history, but it is about a rare American victory during the humiliating Iran hostage crisis — and Iran is once again a big villain. On the other hand, Lincoln and Django Unchained have anti-slavery messages, with their inbuilt feel-good quotient. That too is about American values. What kind of patriotism will finally carry the day?