Only one Bollywood film got National Award for Environmental Movie in 32 years, more films on environment in South India
Today is World Environment Day. Cinema is one of the most powerful mediums of expression, but Bollywood has mostly failed to express its love for the environment. India can find many stories of threats to the environment, but it is not a commercial issue for Bollywood.
If someone questions about the films made on global warming, then we only remember Hollywood films like 'The Day After Tomorrow'. The world's largest film industry is in India, but not a single major film has been made here on a subject with global appeal.
By the way, on the issue of air pollution in Delhi or felling of trees in Mumbai, Bollywood celebs immediately come on the doorstep of social media. Stars like Juhi Chawla go a step ahead and file a petition in the High Court on the issue of 5G radiation, but no big filmmaker even touches the issue even though there is no question of finance or distribution.
'Irada' is the only film to get the National Award
In India's National Awards, the category of films made on environmental protection has been there since 1989. Initially, this award was received by the film 'Bonani' of Assam, but in 32 years till date, only once in 2017 Hindi film 'Irada' got this award. In comparison, 6 Malayalam films and 5 Kannada films have received this award. Two films each in Assamese and Oriya, one each in Manipuri, Tamil, Marathi and Arunachal have received this award.
Filmmaker Neel Madhav Panda from Odisha is known for the movie 'I am Kalam'. 'Kadvi Hawa' and 'Kaalir Ateet' are also his films. Panda told in a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, 'Cinema is the most powerful medium to tell and convince people. That is why I have chosen this medium to speak about the environment.
Panda is also making a web series by adding crime to the subject of environment. Due to Delhi pollution, a couple gets divorced, they have also made a short film with such a story.
Mahesh Mithai told Dainik Bhaskar, “The biggest challenge in Bhopal Express was that the audience may not be entertained in the film but remain interested in the film. If no big investor was found, we looked for 40 small investors. The release in India could not cover the cost, but when the film was released in Germany and French TV channels and cinemas and became a hit at international festivals, it not only cost it but also made a profit.
Two years ago in Mumbai there was an agitation against the cutting of trees for the metro project in Aarey. Activist Sanjeev Valson associated with him said, 'Film city is nearby from Aarey. That's why this forest issue also came to the attention of the celebs. Many celebrities including Shraddha Kapoor, John Abraham, Javed Akhtar, Aamir Khan and Raveena Tandon supported us. But it is also true that the medium they come through, there is no big environmental film made in that cinema.
Sanjeev further says, 'Avatar' based on the Indian story ran all over the world. Films are made all over the world on environmental issues, but our commercial cinema is mired in love, sex, violence and deceit.
Environmentalist and author Nitin Sethi said, “Garhwal, Manipur, Odisha and Tamil have produced some of the best commercial films on the environment. He has also taken my help in the script. The script writers of Bollywood are far from this ground reality. Producers also do not want to take risk, but it is good that regional cinema is filling this gap.
