'Propaganda manipulates memory': Vetrimaaran takes indirect dig at 'Dhurandhar 2'
What's the story
Acclaimed Tamil filmmaker Vetrimaaran recently took an indirect dig at the alleged "propaganda" in Dhurandhar 2. His comments came during the trailer launch of Neelira, a film about the Sri Lankan civil war co-produced by actor Rana Daggubati. Without naming Dhurandhar 2, he said, "This film (Neelira) doesn't talk about hate or advocate violence. It is not a propaganda film."
Statement
Vetrimaaran says 'Neelira' does not monetize hate
Vetrimaaran further stressed the need to tell the truth to future generations. He said, "This film (Neelira) is not made to promote an ideology with crores of rupees. It does not aim to monetize hatred or violence to earn ₹100 crore." "On that basis, this is a film that does not caricature any race, community, or religious sect. It presents events without directly criticizing anyone," Indian Express quoted him as saying. Neelira has been directed by Someetharan.
Critique
Vetrimaaran seemingly critiques demonetization portrayal in 'Dhurandhar 2'
Vetrimaaran also indirectly criticized the portrayal of demonetization in Dhurandhar2. "We all know how demonetization affected us. We are aware of the number of people who died while standing in queues to exchange money. But it is very easy to alter its impact through cinema." "So what can we do against hate propaganda? We make films like this. We must use memory in the right way to spark meaningful conversations," he said.
Storytelling
Vetrimaaran says storytelling preserves history
The filmmaker also spoke about the importance of storytelling in preserving history. He said, "Telling stories from historical moments is one way of passing history to the next generation, because history is often written by those in authority, not by art." "By telling such stories, we can protect the truth, because over time, everything risks becoming propaganda, and propaganda has the power to manipulate memory. Our memory is very fickle."
Film's impact
'Dhurandhar 2' accused of glorifying demonetization
Dhurandhar 2, directed by Aditya Dhar, has been accused of glorifying the 2016 demonetization and presenting it as a national security operation. While fans have loved the spy thriller, it has also received backlash from several critics for allegedly twisting facts and promoting violence. The film stars Ranveer Singh and is currently running successfully in theaters.