Thread by @Manik_M_Jolly

Bollywood has been flogging a dead horse called ‘Love between common people of India and Pakistan’ for far too long now. It stopped making sense but Bollywood refuses to grow up, as expected from an innovation devoid setup.

People who suffered the pain of

partition, always had some fine memories about their native places. My grandparents included. It’s expected that the stories, literature, music etc had a tone and tinge of pain of this separation from friends and in many cases families too. Memories haunt and their pangs were

pretty obvious when they spoke about the pre partition era, when everyone was focused on throwing the British away. When that generation ruled Bollywood, such themes made sense because there was a connect and desire for that story telling.

The next generation grew up having

seen the 65 and 71 wars and aggression from Pakistan. However they still couldn’t shake away the impressions and fables that their parents had told them all their lives about Pak. This generation of Bollywood too continued on same lines like before, but the perception level

had gone down from ‘ oh I miss my friends in Lahore’ to ‘ People love each other, it’s the governments that fight’. Also there was no way to know if this feeling was reciprocated from other side too. The over justification from our own side ensured that the common man on other

side was always viewed as a long lost brother dying to engulf you in his arms.

Then came our generation that saw Punjab, Kashmir, Mumbai attacks, Kargil, bomb blasts and what not. Pakistan’s nefarious plans were exposed to all and slowly with privatisation of media, the

information flow was more aggressive and available. The generation understood Pakistan well enough, as an entity which is ready to go to any lengths to destroy India. However, the common man on other side was still a mystery and shrouded in a fragrant mist of image carried

on since 1947 by THAT generation and Bollywood’s creations.

Then came internet and the generation that has stretched the www to its extremes using every possible app. Common man was connected to common man. And the truth was laid bare. The vitriol flowing from across the border

on all platforms, from all ages and genders, from students to journalists, from ministers to cricketers; is eye opening and true revelation of the white hot hate for India that’s oozing at every discussion amongst people from two sides.
While I’ve always respected the opinions

of my grandparents and millions of other elders who’ve suffered the agony of partition, it’s time to put this old tale to rest.

And more importantly, the OTTs and Bollywood should stop throwing these misleading and servile version of reality. There’s no one waiting there to

hug Indians if borders were open. Yes, there might be some but majority of population hates us. They take it out on minorities there. They show it at international forums. They prove it by sending endless terrorists into India. Their reason for existence has become destruction

of India.

Till the time we keep accepting these fantasies thrown at us from a morally corrupt and highly unimaginative bunch called Bollywood, people will continue to live in delusions and we will never be ready to deal with issues the way we should. Boycotting any such

movie or series would be a good step to send a message that No, you can’t make us feel better with this allegory of suppressed love, while thousands of soldiers n civilians have been killed by Pakistan.

We can choose to live in reality, or keep crying living in fantasies!