How The Concept Of Patriotism Has Evolved In Bollywood

However, post globalization, came the era of new age patriots. A generation who grew up listening and reading about India’s pride but never experienced it and identified with it. For this generation, India was a nation lacking in many facets.

Ashutosh Gowariker’s Swades (2004) starring Shah Rukh Khan was about an NRI finding his way back to his home soil. The film very subtly reinstated the importance of nationality by weaving it with the identity of the protagonist. Neo-patriotism was born with Swadesh in Hindi film industry.

In 2006, Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra tapped on the nerves of Gen-Y with Rang De Basanti. RDB redefined the sense of nationalism in the most creative way possible. Koi bhi desh perfect nahi hota, usse perfect banana padta hai, became the catch phrase of the young minds. Unlike Swadesh, this film reinforced the set idea of patriotism, but with a twist. It dealt more with the inner problems of the nation than ‘boundary defining’ pride.

Both Swades and Rang De Basanti dealt with issues of corruption and development plaguing the growth of the nation. Both the films had a man or group of people coming forward to fight the behavioural evils persistent within the society.