Host: Ezgi Toper

Transcript

UMER: Militaries are fighting a battle in the battlefield, but there's another battle going on, a battle of narratives.

EZGI: My name is Ezgi Toper, and this is “In the Newsroom” – a TRT Global Podcasts production, where I take you around our newsroom as I chat with my colleagues about some of the week’s big stories. Today’s episode may sound like something out of a movie... because it might become one. In early May, India and Pakistan were engaged in their most intense cross-border attacks in two decades. It all began after a deadly terrorist attack in India-administered Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of sheltering terrorist groups and launched air strikes across the border. 

NEWS REPORT I: Tensions between India and Pakistan continue to rise as the two nuclear powers exchange heavy artillery fire for a second day

NEWS REPORT II: This is the result of ongoing fighting between India and Pakistan… (explosion)

NEWS REPORT III: Pakistan says it is retaliating after accusing India of striking three of its air bases overnight

EZGI: Within hours of the air strikes, Bollywood studios and media companies scrambled to trademark the name of the military operation: ‘Operation Sindoor.’ Among them are some of the biggest names in Indian entertainment. Which brings to today’s question: is Bollywood simply drawing inspiration from reality…or are there other factors at play?

To help us unpack all this, I'm speaking with my colleague, Umer Bin Ajmal, from TRT World's newsdesk. His latest piece looked at how Bollywood capitalises on military conflict.

EZGI: So we recently saw tensions heat up between India and Pakistan. Can you walk us through what happened last week? 

UMER: So last week, tensions spiked between India and Pakistan following cross-border incidents that both sides have interpreted very differently. So India claimed it conducted precision strikes on what it called terrorist launch pads across the line of control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and mainland Pakistan. Pakistan, on the other hand, dismissed this as false flag theatrics, denying that any such camps existed and calling Indian strikes a violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty. So what made this episode more contentious is that India seemed to have gone for maximum publicity.

Media outlets in India were reporting these strikes almost in real time and citing only government sources, while Pakistan initially stayed quiet before issuing its rebuttal through official channels, of course, so it's not just the military dimension; it's the media war that escalated things to a greater extent.

EZGI: This conflict is also taking us somewhere we wouldn't have expected… to Bollywood. So we know Bollywood for its romantic storylines and elaborate dance sequences. But in your latest article, you draw a connection between Bollywood and military action. Can you tell us more?

UMER: Right, so this is where it gets fascinating. In my latest article, I explore how Bollywood is almost hardwired to mirror or amplify military actions, you know. And this time was no different. To give you a snapshot, by 3 pm local Indian time on May 7, just hours after the Indian strikes, the race was on. Scripts hadn't been written, but trademarks were already being snatched up. Within 48 hours of the reported strikes, Ezgi, production houses had submitted over 20 film and web series title applications…

EZGI: Over 20?

UMER: Over 20, a staggering number, and that tells us how quickly pop culture jumps on military action, right? So this, and this isn't just about storytelling, I would say. It's about capitalising on nationalistic fervour, let's say, you know, while the iron is hot, as they say.

EZGI: That's fascinating, but is this a new phenomenon? I mean, when did this all begin?

UMER: No, not at all. This is a part of a longer trend. We have seen a wave of Bollywood films directly based on real military operations. Often, those are often presented with dramatic, ultra-nationalistic flair and patriotic soundtracks. For example, in 2019, the film was released called Uri: The Surgical Strike. It was based on a 2016 Indian military operation across the LOC, the Line of Control. It was very well received, and I would go as far as to say that arguably it changed the way Bollywood handles or continues to handle military themes. We saw it later in 2021. A film was released. It was called Shershaah. It dramatised the life of Captain Vikram Bhara during the Kargil War. Pakistan and India fought Kargil War in 1999. And that film, Shershaah, it was promoted heavily with military backing. 

And then just two years ago in 2023, Mission Majnu took a very quite some creative liberties in depicting Indian espionage in Pakistan. So even fictionalised action flicks like, you know, Raazi or Kesari, they draw on historic Indo-Pakistani conflict themes. If you ask me, I feel these films serve more than entertainment. I think they play a role in reinforcing national pride.

EZGI: Wow, military backing, rewriting of narratives. I mean, so much is going into this. Let's talk specifically about Operation Sindoor. Do we know any details on what kind of content is being planned for this specific round of tensions?

UMER: So far, not much is known about the actual plot or creative direction of Operation Sindoor, but what we do know is that multiple production companies, mostly in Hindi language, have filed applications for this and similarly, other title projects. The Indian Film and Television Producers Council, commonly known as IFTPC, confirmed that both films and web series were in early planning stages. I also know that the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association, again, known more commonly as IMPPA. They reported that 20 to 25 title submissions in just two days.

EZGI: And there are some big names at play right now. I mean, we've heard that the Indian business “Reliance Industries,” which is owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, he's the richest man in India according to Forbes, right? They say his company was the first to file for this trademark, but then they later backtracked due to some kind of public backlash. I mean, what exactly happened? What was the backlash about?

UMER: This was quite a twist. The first company to file for the “Operation Sindoor” trademark was Geo Studios, which is, as you rightly pointed out, a part of Reliance Industries owned by Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man. Everybody knows him.

The move triggered significant backlash on social media, where users accused GEO of commodifying military action and profiting from geopolitical tensions. So, some even linked it to war profiting through cinema. So under pressure, reliance quickly distanced itself, and here's the funny bit, saying that the trademark filing was done by a junior person without authorisation.

They claim this staffer mistook a sensitive military event for a branding opportunity. Now, whether that's believable or not, it clearly shows the corporate eagerness to ride the nationalist wave, even if it backfires.

EZGI: So when we think about maybe the motivation behind all of this. I mean, does the State potentially have a hand in how Bollywood portrays these social issues, such as the India-Pakistan conflicts and maybe the Kashmir issue at large?

UMER: Oh absolutely… Since 2014, especially under the BJP-led government, Bollywood has increasingly aligned with the state's messaging, whether overtly or indirectly. Films that echo nationalist narratives, they tend to receive state tax exemptions, public endorsements, and even military cooperation during filming, for example, the Kashmir files, which presents, I would say a very controversial and one-sided account of the exodus of Kashmiri pundits, was declared tax free in multiple BJP states and was heavily promoted by government officials. Then we have Samra Prithviraj and Tanhaji, two other films. They also received similar treatment with political leaders attending premiers and praising the film as some sort of, you know, tools for nation building. So yes, the state isn't just influencing, it's actively participating in the narrative-building process. It blurs the line between art and propaganda.

Ezgi: So in your piece, even you end on the line, “in today's India, war is not just politics by other means, it's content as well.”

Umer: Yeah, I think, I think that stands true because we are living we are living in the, in the age of internet, in the age of social media, where, you know, the content gets a lot of traction and, and yeah, militaries are fighting a battle in the battlefield, but there's another battle going on, a battle of narratives. And this is where it gets even more modern and complex. X, formerly Twitter, YouTube and WhatsApp, they have become major battlegrounds for narrative warfare. The recent India-Pakistan tension, what we have seen in there, AI-generated videos depicting fake battle scenes or dramatic speeches, doctored speeches, doctored images circulated to exaggerate losses or glorify military action strikes. We have also seen verified influencers with millions of followers, and their impressions that would normally be in billions, let's say, they're amplifying government-aligned narratives and discrediting any dissenting voices.

India's Information and Broadcasting Ministry often partners with influencers and creators to push pro-government content, including during crises such as the current one. So, I feel this, this all creates an ecosystem where entertainment, propaganda, and social media virality they all start to feed into each other.

EZGI: So could we even say that this race to get that trademark is a race to control a narrative?

UMER: 100%, because so much emotions are involved. And to give it a name like Operation Sindoor, which has very cultural and strong religious connotations. The term Sindu itself it refers to the red powder that many Hindu women wear. So you know, it adds a layer of symbolic nationalism, almost framing the operation or this military action as a defence of some sort of, you know, cultural or religious identity.

EZGI: Thank you so much Umer. This was incredibly insightful.

UMER: Thank you so much for having me. I’m glad we got to discuss such topics during such times.

EZGI: Yeah, definitely.

So now, the US has mediated a ceasefire, and both sides have claimed victory. But we know, based on this trademark, this is not the end of the story. The battle may have paused on the ground, but it’s still set to unfold on our screens. 

As Umer explained, Bollywood’s habit of chasing the next big story may be blurring the lines between conflict and content, and between national security and national branding. India’s attack on Pakistan and its media’s rush to trademark this attack as so-called “Operation Sindoor” highlights how quickly real-life tensions can be repackaged as entertainment, and it’s just one example of how media can shape public perception of the conflict itself. We see this translated across social media platforms like X, YouTube, and WhatsApp. From AI-generated videos and doctored images to influencers amplifying state-aligned stories. But will these continue to inflame tensions between India and Pakistan or just momentarily capitalise on them? All that remains to be seen. 

Thanks for tuning in. If you enjoyed this episode, and you’re interested in other ways Bollywood is reflecting India’s political landscape, you should head over to our app “MORE” and listen to our ‘Aloud’ episode titled “‘The Changing Image of Muslims in Bollywood.” 

Until next time, I’m Ezgi Toper, and you’ve been listening to “In the Newsroom”.