The whole #KanganaRanaut storm being perpetuated by the media conveniently boxes Bollywood as the only form Indian cinema while ignoring regional cinema where the nepotism runs just as deep, if not deeper. [1/n]
#kangana
#kangana
Take the case of Telugu cinema, it is a public fact that just a handful of families decide what's produced and released. Power structures established in the 50s perpetuate even today, entrenched in both caste and political identity of Andhra Pradesh
Chiranjeevi, the most popular Telugu actor alive today has a sprawling family where almost 10 men are actors. The sons and grandsons of other #Tollywood biggies are also into the acting or film business, leaving little scope for outsiders to break into the mould.
One of the political dynasties of Andhra Pradesh established by Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao was based on his popularity as an actor in a career spanning over three decades. His son and grandson are still popular actors with fingers deep into the political pie.
The production, distribution and exhibition of films is under firm control of a few families meaning that any thought that sits outside of their approval doesn't even reach the audiences in the State. This explains why there is little experimentation in Telugu cinema
The themes of toxic masculinity, patriarchy, objectification of women, feudal outlook to political problem solving can all be traced back to the influence of cinema on the people. A cinema made by people who do not know any better. @thyview @heartranjan
The conversation of nepotism in Bollywood is important but it is also important to consider nepotism in the film industries all across the country. Film is the domain of the moneyed class and it is in their self-serving interest to keep the common audience as docile as possible
Stories from the diverse regions of Andhra and Telangana rarely get space and the films appear to be in suspended time, every a copy of a copy of a copy.
There's decades worth of proof that film is the easiest way to hypnotize Indian audiences. The actors reaped the benefits the propagandizing mechanism film provided for them - turning into politicians not so long after.
The #Kangana issue brings the right topic with the wrong face. Kangana is an overt Hindutva operative that the ruling government wants to use to dismantle existing Bollywood power structures plus use it as a means to distract people from more pertinent topics.
It is undeniable that only the rich and the powerful will be the gatekeepers of this medium. But we as an audience can vote with our wallets to make the existing system obsolete.
Streaming helps in upending the existing networks slightly but for the real change to happen there needs to be grassroots acceptance of alternate cinema and a collective banishment of the rot that has become Bollywood. The agent of change here is not #Kangana, but us the audience
