New Delhi, December 16, 2025
In a year marked by escalating communal tensions and the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) unyielding grip on power, Bollywood has emerged as a potent battleground for political narrative-building. Critics accuse the ruling party of orchestrating a surge in films that sow seeds of hatred against minorities—particularly Muslims—while lionizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government as the unassailable savior of Hindu India. From parliamentary screenings to tax exemptions, the integration of cinema into statecraft represents a "new way" of polarization, blending entertainment with ideology to deepen societal fault lines.
The trend, which gained momentum during the 2024 elections, has intensified in 2025 with releases like Emergency*, *Chhaava, and the upcoming Operation Sindoor. These films, often endorsed by top BJP leaders, portray historical and contemporary events through a lens of Hindu victimhood and triumphalism, critics say, effectively rewriting history to vilify opponents and exalt the current regime.
### A Flood of "Truth-Tellers": Key Films Under Scrutiny
Emergency, released on January 17, 2025, and directed by and starring BJP MP Kangana Ranaut as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has been lambasted as a partisan assault on the Congress legacy. The film depicts the 1975-1977 Emergency—a period of constitutional suspension—as a tyrannical "dark chapter," echoing Modi's own rhetoric. Ranaut, a vocal BJP supporter, organized a special screening for Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, underscoring the film's alignment with party orthodoxy. Detractors argue it distorts facts to demonize secular forces while sanitizing Hindu nationalist suppression during that era.
No less incendiary is *Chhaava*, the February 2025 blockbuster starring Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the Maratha warrior who resisted Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Billed as a tale of unyielding Hindu valor against "Muslim tyranny," the film grossed record figures and was declared tax-free in BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Goa. Modi himself hailed it on social media, tweeting, "Dino Chhaava ki dhoom machi hui hai," celebrating its cultural resonance. In a symbolic escalation, the film was screened at Parliament's Balayogi Auditorium on March 25, attended by Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and dozens of MPs—a first for a commercial release, signaling state endorsement of its polarizing themes.
The pattern continues with *Operation Sindoor*, announced in November 2025 by director Major Ravi, a BJP affiliate and RSS supporter. Based on India's 2025 military strikes against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack—codenamed after the Hindu marital symbol of vermilion—the film promises "patriotic fervor" amid India-Pakistan escalations. Ravi has alleged "jihadi networks" are behind online backlash, framing criticism as anti-national. Multiple studios have rushed similar titles like *Mission Sindoor* and *Sindoor: The Revenge*, capitalizing on jingoism to portray Modi's foreign policy as heroic retribution.
These films build on 2024's *The Sabarmati Report*, which reframed the 2002 Godhra train burning—sparking anti-Muslim riots that killed over 1,000—as a Muslim-orchestrated conspiracy, conveniently absolving the BJP-led Gujarat government under then-Chief Minister Modi. The PM praised it on X, stating, "It is good that this truth is coming out in a way that is accessible to everyone... A fake narrative can only last so long—facts eventually prevail." Screened in Parliament, it exemplifies how cinema now serves as an extension of official propaganda.
### Sowing Hatred, Reaping Division: Critics' Alarm
Film scholars and rights groups decry this as a deliberate strategy to "dehumanize" Muslims, fostering Islamophobia under the guise of historical accuracy. Shohini Ghosh, a New Delhi-based essayist, warns that such narratives "pose a risk of worsening deep ethnic and religious divisions," with films like *Chhaava* evoking "evil Muslim kings" to justify exclusionary politics. Human Rights Watch has linked BJP-backed cinema to real-world violence, citing how *The Kashmir Files* (2022) inspired anti-Muslim assaults, a blueprint echoed in 2025 releases.
The "new ways" are stark: beyond tax waivers in BJP states—making films like *Chhaava* cheaper and more accessible—there's direct political choreography. BJP leaders sponsor local screenings, as seen with Zilla Parishad member Siddesh Naik funding *Chhaava* shows in Goa's Cumbharjua. Parliamentary viewings normalize ideology as entertainment, while Modi's social media boosts ensure viral reach. An IMDb-curated list of over 60 "BJP propaganda movies" through 2026 highlights the electoral timing, with releases peaking pre-polls to "spread Islamophobia and whitewash Modi's image."
India Hate Lab's 2024 report, extending into 2025 trends, notes a 352% spike in hate speeches by BJP figures, often amplifying film narratives—Modi ranked second with 63 instances during election peaks. "These aren't just movies; they're mobilization tools," says Sayandeb Chowdhury of Krea University, labeling them "brazen propaganda creating wounds to serve the government's agenda."
### BJP's Counter: "Unveiling Suppressed Truths"
The BJP dismisses accusations as "Congress ecosystem" smears, insisting films expose "hidden facts" long suppressed by secular elites. On *The Sabarmati Report*, party spokespersons echoed Modi's line that it counters "fake narratives." For *The Kerala Story*—a precursor claiming mass Hindu conversions to ISIS—Union Minister Smriti Irani called it a "wake-up call," accusing opponents of backing "terror outfits." BJP leaders argue such stories honor victims and celebrate national pride, with tax perks democratizing access to "truth."
In a 2023 directive, Modi urged cadres to avoid "unnecessary comments" on films to prevent backlash, signaling a tactical pivot toward subtle amplification rather than overt interference. Yet, with stars like Ranaut in Parliament and Bollywood A-listers at BJP swearing-ins, the lines between reel and real power blur further.
### A Nation at the Movies: Implications for India's Fabric
As 2025 draws to a close, this cinematic surge raises alarms about democracy's health. While box-office triumphs—*Chhaava* as 2025's first Hindi hit—bolster BJP's cultural hegemony, they risk entrenching a "Hindutva" worldview that marginalizes 200 million Muslims. With state-backed distribution and endorsements, films transcend entertainment, becoming vectors for hate that could ignite unrest.
Opposition voices, from Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav—who slammed BJP's "hate-driven" film use—to civil groups decrying *The Bengal Files* as "divisive propaganda," call for regulatory checks. But in Modi's India, where cinema once mirrored pluralism, the silver screen now reflects a polarized mirror—one the BJP polishes to a nationalist sheen. As *Operation Sindoor* gears up, the question lingers: Will truth prevail, or will division dominate the credits?
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