PK, Aamir and Controversy
I saw PK movie starring Aamir Khan and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, before any controversy erupted. It was quite clear from the trailers that movie was a satire on religious customs. I went to see the movie with an open mind.
Movie wise its a nice simple story without much drama or twists. A simple tale told with simplicity. Aamir’s acting was superb as always. I liked the message of the movie. About superstitions and wrong numbers and how easy it is to fool people in the name of religion.
But I will be frank here, I found few bits distasteful like the one in the climax involving a guy posed as Shiva, and the one where Tapasvi says that a person from particular religion do blasts…why should Tapasvi answer?
Then the controversy erupted. Hindu religious leaders objected, understandably so, as majorly they were the ones targetted. Then the political free for all.
My take is such movies tend to vitiate atmosphere in a multi religious society like ours. It would have been. difficult to target all religions equally in the movie and this is what caused issues. Right wing and appeasement politicians both made things worse.
My take is though in principle such movies should be celebrated but given the realities, they better not be made.
I find makers of the movie equally at fault as the religious traders. Both made money off religion. Some by celebrating it, others by denigrating it. Movie was made to make crores of rupees and this fact should not be forgetted. I would have liked if makers gave away the profits for social causes. Since their motive was to make money off public, they were always susceptible to attack and can’t take Holier than thou route.
Everyone alike. After all its money honey!
ArpitGarg's Weblog 
it’s really a good point you bring up – that the filmmakers were criticizing religious leaders for trying to make money off religion when they were doing the same.
still, i think the realities can’t be changed unless people DO make fictional movies about controversial topics. RKH’s other films all did the same thing, and each of those sparked a movement – why would he think this would be any different?
and anyway, fiction isn’t reality; it’s supposed to represent how we imagine the world or want the world to be. having high hopes for the world isn’t a bad thing, i think.
kayfil
January 7, 2015 at 12:18 am
You are quite right in what you say…but I dont think this is one of those eye opener movies…what movie showed is already known and it would have hardly changed the outlook of people.
It only helped fanning religious animosity ( aamir was made a party to it) which is the last thing we want in a country like ours.
If film makers really wanted to have high hopes etc for the world, the makers should have balanced the attack. I felt they identified soft targets, which went against the very message of the movie.
These people sit pretty with their millons and care 2 hoots about any animosity that spreads in the society. These film makers are wrong number themselves.
arpitgarg
January 7, 2015 at 7:04 am