Many say Dhurandhar is a propaganda film. Some people tend to look down on propaganda films. However, the bottom line is that without the tag of propaganda, many audiences may not watch the film and the discussion around it may not even happen.
Propaganda generally refers to presenting a strong, one-sided viewpoint without making serious attempts to balance the situation. For example, many critics say The Kashmir Files was a propaganda film. In that film, no Muslim character is portrayed positively; most are shown either as terrorists or as those who support terrorism.
Another example is The Kerala Story, which was also widely labelled as a propaganda film. Many critics argue that the number of “love jihad” victims shown in the film is exaggerated. Even so, the propaganda label itself created an atmosphere that made people curious and encouraged discussions about the film.
Coming to Telugu cinema, Yatra, the biographical film on Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, was also called a propaganda film by some critics, yet it performed well at the box office.
Similarly, Lakshmi’s NTR, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, portrayed Lakshmi Parvathi positively while presenting Chandrababu Naidu as the villain. This too was widely described as propaganda. Despite controversies, the film became a major topic of discussion in both Telugu states, and many viewers from Andhra Pradesh travelled to Telangana to watch it because it was banned in Andhra Pradesh at that time.
In many cases, propaganda becomes a powerful commercial factor. Films built around a strong one-sided narrative often gain more traction and public attention.
However, filmmakers must understand the intricacies of presenting propaganda in a way that feels organic and convincing to audiences.
