Father, Son, and Holy War
Father, Son, and Holy War | |
---|---|
पितृ, पुत्र और धर्मयुद्ध | |
Directed by | Anand Patwardhan |
Produced by | Anand Patwardhan |
Music by | Navnirman, Vinay Mahajan |
Release date |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
Country | India |
Languages | English, Hindi |
Father, Son, and Holy War (Pitra, Putra, aur Dharmayuddha) is a 1995 film by Indian documentary filmmaker
Synopsis
Part 1: Trial by Fire
The title of the first section is a reference to the ordeal that the Hindu god-king Rama used to test the fidelity of his wife after rescuing her from the demon king Ravana. The segment describes the various interconnected instances of communal violence in India in the years prior to the film. The film opens with the aftermath of the anti-Muslim riots in Bombay that followed the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992. Several Hindu youth are heard speaking to the cameraman, saying that they had enjoyed the killing and looting, and that a list of Muslim individuals had been prepared beforehand, and that some authority figures knew of the plans to target Muslims.[1]
The film then describes a connection between the Indian nationalist movement and violent masculinity. In a
The documentary then goes on to describe how the identification of Hinduism with militant traditions also resulted in all opponents of
Part 2: Hero Pharmacy
The second segment of the documentary depicts common icons of masculinity, and explores their connection to misogyny and sexuality. Specifically, the film focuses on symbols of masculinity that are phallic in nature. Many political leaders are heard linking non-violence and secularism to weakness and impotency.[1] A religious leader campaigning for the Shiv Sena in Gujarat is seen asking Hindu women to have eight children apiece, as a means of combating the perceived menace of Muslims.[2]
The film shows the visits of several western cultural icons to
Reception
The film was completed in 1994,[4] and released the next year.[5] It won two national awards and multiple international awards in the years that followed.[4] In 2004, the European DOX magazine listed it as one of the 50 most memorable documentaries of all time. As with previous films produced by Patwardhan, the national television channel Doordarshan initially refused to screen the film. Patwardhan challenged this decision in the Bombay High Court, which ruled in his favor in 2001, ordering Doordarshan to telecast the film. The carrier challenged this decision in the Indian Supreme Court, which ruled in Patwardhan's favor in 2006, ordering that the film be screened without any cuts within eight weeks.[4] The judges observed that "This documentary film [...] showcases a real picture of crime and violence against women and members of various religious groups perpetrated by politically motivated leaders for political, social and personal gains."[4] The film was eventually screened following the ruling.[6]
History professor Vinay Lal, writing in the European art journal Third Text, stated that Father, Son, and Holy War was a nuanced and daring film, that examined the "nexus between communalism, the changing culture of the contemporary Hindi film, violence towards women in many domains of Indian society, vernacular forms of masculinity, and other aspects of Indian society and culture."
Awards
- National Film Award, Best Investigative Documentary, India, 1995[8]
- National Film Award, Best Film on Social Issues, India, 1995[8]
- Special Jury Prize, Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Japan, 1995[9]
- In The Spirit of Freedom Award, Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, 1995[10]
- Special Jury Prize, Vancouver International Film Festival, 1995
- International Jury Prize, Bombay International Film Festival, 1996[11]
- Audience award, Sheffield International Documentary Festival, 2012[12]
References
- ^ JSTOR 2943713.
- ^ JSTOR 4402945.
- ISBN 978-81-87139-69-0.
- ^ a b c d "Telecast Patwardhan film within 8 weeks: court". The Hindu. 26 August 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ "Father, Son and Holy War". Films of Anand Patwardhan. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ Prabhakar, Jyoti. "Indie films get slots on DD after JT story". Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ S2CID 142194323.
- ^ a b "42nd National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
- ^ "YIDFF 2005". Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "12th JFF". Jerusalem Film Festival. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "MIFF'1996 Award Winning Films". Mumbai International Film Festival. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Sheffield Doc/Fest Award Winners". Sheffield Doc/Fest. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2014.