The movie 1947 Batwara will be released this week.
Few events in the global cultural calendar match the unique synergy between a nation's independence celebrations and its box office.
In India, the week leading up to August 15 has evolved far beyond a time for flag hoisting and national anthems. It has firmly established itself as the ultimate cinematic battleground.
This weekend will be no different, with the global release, including in South Africa, of 1947 Batwara, relating to the partition in that year of British colonial India into the independent states of India and Pakistan.
Over the decades, the thematic landscape of films released during Independence Day has mirrored the political, social, and economic shifts of the country itself. The definition of a patriot on the silver screen has undergone a dramatic transformation in the 77 years since India’s independence. It has shifted from highlighting the socialist nation-builder of a newly freed republic to the frontline soldier of border conflicts, and eventually to the covert intelligence agent and historical epic hero of the modern digital era.
