Frames per second: Medals for 'New India'

The rising popularity of sports films in India reflects a new phase of nationalism

The performance of the Indian women’s hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics has garnered praise from almost all quarters, with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeting: “We narrowly missed a medal in Women’s Hockey but this team reflects the spirit of New India — where we give our best and scale new frontiers.” While the praise for the team, which narrowly missed the bronze medal, is irreproachable, Modi also weds the team’s victory to a love for the nation, particularly his idea of a “New India”. This “New India” is different from a pre-2014