Representations of the 1984 Tragedy in Punjabi Cinema: Ideology and Cultural Politics

Abstract

Using medium of modern Punjabi language, this paper provides critical overview of the way in which Indian cinema has tried to grapple with the aftermath of the 1984 tragedy. The films analysed in this paper include two Hindi films Maachis, Hawayein, and three Punjabi films Des Hoyaa Pardes, Sadda Haq and Punjab 1984. The paper examines each film's underlying ideology, screen techniques and ultimately what it portrays through its narrative construction of the past. The Hindi films almost echo an ‘Indianist’ ideology – a nationalist perspective of Sikh youth rebelling against the state ultimately shown as misguided and purposeless, while Punjabi films with their more realistic linguistic and aesthetic presentation fall short of any sensitive portrayal of the tragedy. The paper concludes with some comments upon their comparative worth and weaknesses and the disjunction between the Bollywood productions and the Punjabi initiatives: the former as part of the Indian industry with its highly developed formulistic commercial orientation and the latter with little technical sophistication and resource-starved productions.

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Gurmukh Singh

Gurmukh Singh. Address: Department of Punjabi, Punjabi University, Patiala, India [[email protected]]