Were you someone who reluctantly stood up when national anthem played in cinema halls? You can thank a bunch of film aficionados in a tiny village in central Kerala. They challenged the 2016 SC order that made it mandatory for cinema halls across the country to play the national anthem before every show. The SC has now modified its order, and made it optional.
The collective goes by the name of Kodungallur Film Society (KFS) and it is a time of celebration for them as the SC verdict has proved their idea of nationalism right.
“Our love for the nation should not be determined on the basis of whether we stand up when the national anthem is being played. It is ridiculous to reduce nationalism to such a token expression. We are happy that the SC has taken a progressive stand,'' said Anoop Kumaran, former president of the film society, who moved the appeal on their behalf.
Welcoming the SC order, K.J. Rijoy, current president of the KFS, said that it has differentiated between patriotism and bigotry. “The verdict is also important as it has clarified many wrong notions about laws regarding national anthem. The law only says that one should not obstruct the singing of national anthem,'' he said. He also welcomed the fact that the government formed a committee to bring more clarity on the issue.
The KFS was formed in 1977, immediately after the Emergency, and it has members belonging to different strata of society. Some are academicians, some are daily wage labourers, some are lawyers, some are auto drivers, while others are house wives. But they are all connected by a passion for cinema. They meet every Friday evening on a roof top and watch films from across the world.
“The KFS is different from other film societies who watch classic movies, have an intellectual discussion, and leave the film hall. We are convinced that good cinema influences the viewers, instilling in them higher values of democracy and plurality,'' said Kumaran.
What prompted the KFS to move SC with the matter? “The SC order came at a time when IFFK was about to start. While it was ridiculous to make everyone stand up as a mandatory test of patriotism, it was more pronounced during film festivals where one would watch at least five films every day. So we thought of seeking an exemption during the days of the film festival,'' said Kumaran.
“But the more we discussed the matter, the more clarity we had. It became clear to us that the issue was not just about the incongruity of making viewers stand before every film. It was also an attempt to impose certain versions of nationalism on every one. Once the ideological clarity was there, we decided to fight it,'' said Kumaran.
But the task was not easy for the KFS which does not even charge a membership fee. They raised some money from like minded people and approached SC lawyer P.V. Dinesh who in turn took up the case pro bono.
Still, it was tough for these “left-leaning minds” to forge ahead in Kodungallur, which, once a left bastion, has been increasingly saffronised in the past few years. “Flex boards appeared in different parts of Kodungallur calling us names varying between terrorists to Maoists. Some even booked us tickets to Pakistan,” recalled Rijoy.
“Ours was a small step, but we are happy to see its impact on the country's democratic and secular values. It has come as a morale booster for many,'' said Kumaran.
In a short chat with the former KFS president Anoop Kumaran and the current president K.J. Rijoy, who map out their plans going ahead.
When did you decide to file the case?
The SC order came at a time the film festival circuit had begun. We are regulars at all film festivals, and it is like a pilgrimage for us. So, when the court made national anthem mandatory, it sounded ludicrous. Think of a film festival venue, where one sees more than 35 films in five days. Initially, we thought of seeking exemption for film festivals. But after a few days of deliberation, we realised the immense threat the order posed, as it was trying to impose a certain kind of nationalism on all of us.
There are 250 odd members in KFS. Did everyone agree to move court?
Yes, everyone agreed. But, before that, we had several rounds of discussions to reach that clarity. The fact that all the members had a left-leaning mindset helped.
Does it mean KFS allows only leftists become members?
No. Our only condition for membership in KFS is that she/he should be a votary of secularism and pluralism. Ours is a broad platform where we have members belonging to all political parties, except BJP and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).
But isn't this exclusion against the pluralism that you vouch for?
No. We oppose RSS because they are working against pluralism. Same goes for SDPI because they have not yet proven their commitment to democracy and secularism.
How will you distinguish KFS from other film societies?
The KFS, which took shape in 1977, had its bad days like all other film societies in the 90s. But it became alive again around 2004. By then we were clear that KFS should not be like other film societies. We wanted the films to touch our lives.
How do you look at the impact of films on the decision you made to approach SC?
The films we watched have reinforced our beliefs about democracy, plurality and multiculturalism. It has given us the courage to take on a powerful system which was trying to enslave us to a certain type of jingoistic nationalism.
Have you ever stood up during national anthem?
Yes, every time I was inside the theatre. At times, I used to enter late to avoid this. Despite all my personal feelings, I believed that it was the rule. It was only later we realised that the rule says no such thing. It only says that one is not supposed to obstruct the singing of national anthem.
What would be the effect of this verdict on common polity?
We hope it will have a butterfly effect in all such cases.
