How Bollywood's new 'adarsh' Indian is patriotic, honest and govt-friendly

A new element has been introduced into films - a jingoistic fervour that coincides with not just the frenzied nationalism seen on social media and in certain sections of society

Bollywood has always looked to the newspaper headlines for ideas. Anything in the news is fair game and if it is buzzy enough, finds its way into films – it is an easy way to use a contemporary reference to connect with the audience.

For the most part, the films picked up on cues generated by the news environment – in the 1950s and ‘60s, it was about nation building, with several stories on the construction of dams etc. but also about cement hoarders. In the 1970s, the nation’s anger was articulated by Amitabh Bachchan’s on-screen persona. The 1980s saw vigilantism