The description given to something can change its colours and evoke emotions that were never present before.

Indian cinema has taken centre stage in making films about the rich history of the country. Presenting the courage of freedom fighters or exploring the diverse cultural heritage, every filmmaker has a special vision of bringing history to life on the silver screen.

An incomparable gem of Indian cinema, Mughal-e-Azam explores a tale of forbidden love in the Mughal period. The film has garnered immense love from the masses and is one of the most iconic films of all time. The elegant costumes, grand setting and classic dialogues add an eternal charm to the story while providing a glimpse into the lives of people during those times. Mughal-e-Azam even helps the viewers in picturing the social and political atmosphere of medieval times, a great advantage as it builds curiosity in people regarding such topics, encouraging them to learn more about history.

Another remarkable film that employs a historical setting is Lagaan, which takes place in the colonial period and revolves around a group of villagers who challenge the British in a game of cricket. This film beautifully captures the spirit of resistance and patriotism in the face of oppression. In recent years, filmmakers have tried to explore lesser-known stories from Indian history. Films like Kesari and Gold highlight unsung characters and events from different eras.

Indian cinema has also explored momentous events through biopics. Films like Sardar Udham, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and The Legend of Bhagat Singh delve into the lives of individuals who made unforgettable contributions to the past. Besides educating the audiences about the journeys of these extraordinary figures, these films also inspire people by showing how historic personalities rose above countless obstacles.

Still, the portrayal of historical themes in Indian cinema is surrounded by controversy. Debates about the essence of historical accuracy arise when filmmakers take artistic liberty to make stories engaging. Some argue that historical films should adhere to facts; others support creative interpretation as it connects history to a bigger audience. At times, however, rewriting and oversimplifying history can create negativity. Padmaavat and Samrat Prithviraj are among the films that have drawn criticism for encouraging stereotypes.

Thus, Indian cinema has played an interesting role in depicting history. With their powerful performances and compelling themes, films allow audiences to relive significant moments from history. Although films fail to represent historical figures accurately, one cannot deny that cinema leaves an impact by entertaining people and helping them remember the past.

About the Writer

Palak is a passionate writer who enjoys reading new books. She pens down her thoughts through creative writing. She hopes to inspire others to embrace a life of authenticity, self-discovery and personal growth.

The movie Jait Re Jait, a 1977 Filmfare award winning Marathi language film, directed by Dr. Jabbar Patel, is based on a book by G. N. Dandekar. Its story revolves around the Thakar tribal caste, where Nagya, the protagonist (played by Dr. Mohan Agashe), is a drummer, obsessed with being ‘punyavant’ or pure. He meets Chindhi, (played by the evergreen actress late Ms. Smita Patil) who has abandoned her ineffectual husband. Nagya and Chindhi fall in love and the story unravels their struggle to find union. The movie delivers the message, that if you want to achieve your goals, you should be willing to take efforts, even if it means paying the ultimate price! (No spoilers here!)

Additionally, more crucial to the theme, the film depicts the beliefs of the people who worship a bare mountain peak, called ‘Lingana’, as their god. So entwined is this god or force of nature in their lives, that it finds mention as the flora and fauna, the day and night, in every alternate phrase of the tribe’s folk songs. Interestingly, highlighting their close relationship with nature, the people of the tribe also count their days and identify seasons by referring to the colours of leaves and trees. In their folksongs, the Thakar tribe address themselves as the ‘birds of this jungle’.

Here is a stanza from one of the songs in the movie:

 “आम्ही ठाकर ठाकर ह्या रानाची पाखरं
या झांबर्‍या गर्दीत मांडुन इवले घर…”

“We are Thakars, Thakars, the birds of this jungle,

We’ve established our tiny houses between these serried trees…”

The plot of the movie is interesting. It starts out with Nagya using his father’s dhol or drum, which he finds difficult to use. He demands a new, smaller dhol from his father instead, to make things easier for him. Reality is, as is usually the case, very different. Nagya’s father explains that making a dhol from scratch takes one and a half year, and is quite a challenging task. When you depend on nature, you move along with it, and cannot speed things up, unsustainably. Nonetheless, because Nagya is so obdurate, father and son finally proceed to make a dhol. They cut a suitable tree trunk and locate an ancient rock-cut water body at Lingana hillock, since the wood has to be submerged in water for a whole year. Simultaneously, the skin of an animal has to be dried and prepared. Only then can the dhol finally be assembled.

This whole process of making the dhol is intriguing and interesting. It not only shows the amount of patience the tribal members have, but also how wholly dependent they are on nature for meeting their needs and requirements. The patience, intricacies and excitement depicted in this relationship reveals how the people seek joy in nature and in the smaller things of life.

Another striking moment from the film for me, was when Nagya’s father warns him not to utter any bad word during the ‘Sugiche Divas’, or days of harvest, considered to be the happiest days for the tribe. The time of harvest is considered by them as their only festival, where any kind of negativity should be eliminated.  

What caught my attention was the unique calendar used by the people of Thakarwadi (the tribal settlement). The calendar closely follows the patterns of nature, similar to the traditional calendar system of the Hindus. Full moon and new moon days are significant.

The movie does a good job of bringing out the tribe’s lifestyle and communion with nature. Throughout the movie, the background and foreground score depends largely on folk songs.  There is a mention of plants, animals, the sun and moon, days and nights, in all these songs, composed poetically and with great music to go with it.

“आल्या बरसाती घेऊन, मेघ मल्हाराची धून, या झिंगल्या झाडांना बांधले पैंजन…

चांदन्या गोंदून, चांदन्या गोंदून…धरलिया चादर…”

“The music of ‘Raga Malhara’ has invited the monsoon showers. The wind makes the trees swing, they sound as though ghungaroos (anklets) are tied to them.

The raindrops sparkling in the moonlight emit light as if the roofs (and Mother Earth) are covered with a blanket of stars!”

“चैत्र गेला, वैशाखाचं ऊन गेलं,

पाऊस पाणी सरलं, सरली हंगामाची घाई…”

“Chaitra (the first month of the Hindu calendar) has passed, the harsh summer of the month of Vaisakha has been survived,

Monsoon showers have ended, so has the bustle of the farming season…”

The message conveyed by the Thakar community and their relationship with nature indicates how finding oneself equals to finding god. That is the journey of life. The tribal community has found god in nature. Material desires such as wealth and fame take one further away from this higher purpose. Finding god is a reward in itself, and to the people of the tribe, god lives solely in nature. To survive and thrive, we must co-exist with nature, our god.

This symbiotic relationship with nature is what caught my attention, and the words “sustainable habitats” promptly reminded me of this film. Many such stories of natural heritage mingled with our culture exist in India, they are only waiting to be explored, and gazed at with a fresher lens. I hope the snippets of this movie push you to watching it too, and I hope you like it, just as I did.

On the theme of being one with nature and with god, I am reminded of the words of Lord Byron,

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is a society, where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more.”

The views, information, or opinions expressed above are solely those of the author(s) involved and do not necessarily represent those held by India Lost & Found and its creative community.