Indian authorities have recently announced a policy for their film industry to "not include criticism of China in productions," leading to effects such as production companies being forced to modify content or postpone releases. This has sparked controversy within India, according to Chinese media outlet Observer.

【その他の写真】

The relationship between China and India is extremely complex. First, regarding border issues, the Sino-Indian border dispute, an actual war, has occurred twice. While both countries have made efforts to stabilize relations, skirmishes frequently occur in border areas. Additionally, China has built an "extremely close relationship" with Pakistan. The relationship between India and Pakistan is poor, marked by repeated wars, and currently both sides possess nuclear weapons and are in confrontation. This means that for India, China is "an enemy's friend." The national sentiment in both India and China towards the other country is not good; for example, if an Indian film contains "criticism of China," many viewers would feel a sense of relief.

On the other hand, the Indian government is currently seeking to improve relations with China. The background to this is the unilateral imposition of high tariff policies by US President Trump. For India, strengthening economic ties with China can be expected to have a "risk-hedging" effect, in light of President Trump's actions. For China, improving relations with India can "prevent India from completely siding with the US and avoid its own diplomatic isolation."

Recently, many filmmakers in India have stated that "the government is warning us not to bring our personal opinions into filmmaking and criticize China." According to the South China Morning Post, new films in India are being revised, delayed, or canceled one after another due to the authorities' influence.

A war drama film starring Salman Khan, a big star in the Indian film industry, was demanded to change its original title "Battle of Galwan," and 40% of it was ordered to be reshot. The film was scheduled for release on April 17, but it has not yet received release permission from the current military and film-related departments. "Galwan" refers to the Galwan River Valley, where more than 60 people from both sides died in a clash between Chinese and Indian forces in 2020.

Furthermore, another film titled "Lion of Galwan" has been canceled. Producer Himmall Dassani explained, "We must submit our script to the Indian Ministry of Defense for review before we start filming. We have already received instructions: China must not be criticized." Dassani stated, "If that's the case, then there's no longer any meaning in making this film."

Onir, an Indian film director and producer, stated that the authorities' actions illustrate what the "freedom to choose and create" means for Indian cinema.

On the other hand, some people support the government's policy. Sanjay Kumar, an Indian political analyst, explained that the Indian government's directives are to protect national interests, stating, "The government is very sensitive about this issue. Improving relations with neighboring countries is, after all, a good thing."

Furthermore, retired Indian Army Major General Bakshi said, "If China and India want to ease relations, why should the Indian side cause trouble everywhere?" and "If the government has ordered some scenes to be reshot... there is undoubtedly a rationale behind it." He added, "If both countries wish to improve relations, then temporarily avoiding the inclusion of nationalist narratives in films is a logical approach."

Moreover, some voices point out that the Indian film industry gaining popularity by including criticism of China in its works and stirring up audience nationalism is the root of the problem. This is because the Indian government has historically used the promotion of nationalism as a means to secure public support regarding its confrontation with China, and the Indian film industry has capitalized on "criticism of China."

Aditi Sharma, a documentary producer, argued that it is absurd for the Indian film industry, which has profited from national propaganda, to then express "surprise" at the state's control over propaganda. She described the current anger from the Indian film industry as "appearing very hollow." (Translation/Editing by Kisaragi Hayato)