Over the past few decades, Hollywood has released some remarkable military themed films which have gained worldwide recognition. The 1950s, after World War II, brought a large number of mostly patriotic war films, which used war as a backdrop for dramas and adventure stories. Sands of Iwo Jima and Bridge on the River Kwai are some poignant films which highlighted the valour of war veterans and the suffering of prisoners of war.
Where many Hollywood films focus on the love for their country, it must also be taken into account that India and Pakistan have a multitude of patriotic movies and shows. Bollywood has gifted its country with favourites such as Border, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, The Legend of Bhagat Singh and Gandhi. Pakistan on the other hand has older films such as Bedari (1957), Shaheed (1962) and Jinnah (1998), which reflect the struggle of the Pakistani people during partition in 1947. However, newer TV shows make up for the lack of films such as “Faseel-e-Jaan se Aagey”, airing on PTV, focuses on the Pakistani army fighting against terrorism. This may have been inspired by the popular series “Alpha Bravo Charlie” (1998) which took Pakistan by storm and is still one of the most loved patriotic dramas.
Even now, the importance of using films as a way to reach out to the public is not lost. Last month producers confirmed plans by Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow for a movie about the killing of Osama bin Laden. On Monday, June 13, the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, used a trip to Tinsel Town to support those with loved ones on the frontline and urged Hollywood to showcase the strength of the US service families.
Michelle Obama appealed to writers, producers and actors to use their creative skills to depict the reality of life for families of those in war zones. “Be creative. Be funny. Be powerful,” she told the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Directors Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America West. “They’re strong. They don’t complain. They don’t ask for much,” she added. “Move America to think differently about the families that serve America so graciously.”
WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM AFP
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2011.
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