Gadar 2 and OMG 2: Responsible Filmmaking Amidst Controversy

When Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 and Akshay Kumar’s OMG 2 were released in theaters in August this year, their box office clash was all that cine-goers could talk about. Many netizens booked tickets for both films and had a great time watching the sequels of two very popular movies. While both films came with different messages, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is glad that neither was a “propaganda film.”

In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Anurag Kashyap said that he was impressed by both films, which could have otherwise easily been positioned as propaganda films if not handled carefully. He said, “Sabse badi baat agar main kahu aaj ki date mein toh iss samay sabse badi filmein jo cinema hall mein chal rahi hain, Gadar 2 aur Oh My God, kitni aasani se filmmaker, jo bolte hain iss samay ye mood hai desh ka, film ko propaganda aur counter-propaganda bana sakte the. Lekin wo mainstream ke andar responsible filmmaking hai (The biggest thing today I’d say is that the biggest films in cinema halls today, Gadar 2 and OMG 2, their filmmakers could’ve gauged the nation’s mood and turned them into propaganda and counter-propaganda films. But they’re responsible filmmaking within the ambit of the mainstream).”

He added, “Kahin koi halla nahi hua, kahin koi aawaz nahi uthi, unnecessary controversy nahi hui. Filmein thi achhi jin logo ke liye thi. Filmmaker apne personal fayde ke liye opportunist jaise bahar nahi aaya (There was no unnecessary noise, no voice raised, no unnecessary controversy. They were good films for the audiences they had in mind. The filmmaker didn’t unleash the opportunist within).”

Anurag Kashyap on National Award Controversy

Anurag was also asked about the debate surrounding Allu Arjun winning the National Award for Best Actor over Vicky Kaushal. “Awards are more about the jury than they’re about the actor. By the same logic, Vicky won it for a commercial film like Uri, than for his far more serious performances. It doesn’t take away from Vicky being a good actor. Allu Arjun’s performance wasn’t bad either. It was one of the best performances of the year. You can’t diss a mainstream performance for a realistic performance. Sometimes I feel a mainstream performance is very, very tough to do,” the director said.

For the unversed, Allu Arjun had won the National Award for Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1. However, some netizens believed that the rightful winner was Vicky Kaushal for the film Sardar Udham.

Conclusion

Responsible filmmaking in the mainstream is a topic that Anurag Kashyap emphasizes in his discussion of Gadar 2 and OMG 2. Despite the potential for controversy and propaganda, these films managed to cater to their intended audiences without creating unnecessary noise. Additionally, Anurag Kashyap’s perspective on the National Award controversy sheds light on the complexities of recognizing outstanding performances in Indian cinema.