Indian Cinema during the National Emergency 1975: The year 1975 was a turning point for Hindi cinema. While films like Sholay and Deewaar were huge successes, Jai Santoshi Maa surprised everyone by becoming the highest-grossing film of the year.
Films like Chupke Chupke and Chhoti Si Baat offered a refreshing change from the action-packed blockbusters. However, it was also a challenging time for Hindi cinema, taking it into uncharted territory.
Ban On Films During National Emergency 1975
In February 1975, Gulzar’s film Aandhi was released. The lead female character, who aspired to be a successful politician, looked strikingly similar to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which didn’t go down well with those in power.
Some promotional materials for the film even highlighted the similarities. The film was banned shortly after Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency, which also led to press censorship and forced the media to toe the government line.
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Artists Penalized In National Emergency 1975
The ban on Aandhi was just the beginning. For the next 21 months, the film industry was expected to comply with the government. Filmmakers who resisted or showed any reluctance faced consequences, and many famous artists, including Kishore Kumar and Dev Anand, were penalized for their opposition.
During the national emergency 1975, Hindi cinema also saw the rise of Salim-Javed and their ‘angry young man’ characters, which were often seen as a critique of the establishment. However, even Sholay, one of their most popular films, faced resistance from the censor board due to its violence.
Actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar claimed he had to convince the Information and Broadcasting Minister, VC Shukla, to pass the film. During this time, films submitted for censor approval often faced long delays, and the shortage of raw materials made it hard for producers to continue working.
Indian Cinema After Emergency 1975
After the emergency ended in 1977, producer GP Sippy described the film industry as having lived in a “dangerous atmosphere” for the past 21 months. Censorship rules kept changing, and broadcasting guidelines for All India Radio and Doordarshan were just as inconsistent. However, one thing remained constant, the government’s persistent demand for influential artists to serve as its spokespersons.
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