Anand Patwardhan Confronts Censorship and Documentary Filmmaking in India

Anand Patwardhan, a 71-year-old documentary filmmaker from Mumbai, has spent decades battling censorship in India. His films, which address social injustice, nationalism, and caste, have faced legal challenges from the Central Board of Film Certification. Works like Bombay: Our City (1985), Father, Son, and Holy War (1995), and War and Peace (2002) required court battles for uncut screenings. Patwardhan opposes the new Cinematograph Amendment bill, which he says endangers his entire catalog by allowing the current government to revoke prior clearances. He notes shrinking free speech in India, with audiences moving online due to pandemic restrictions, though he misses post-screening discussions. His latest film, Vivek/Reason (2018), a four-hour critique of secular democracy's erosion, has not had a theatrical release in India but appeared on YouTube and OVID.tv. Patwardhan's filmmaking is often triggered by real events, such as the 1998 nuclear tests for War and Peace or the suicide of Dalit poet-musician Vilas Ghogre for Jai Bhim Comrade (2011). He rejects the label 'artist,' seeing art as a byproduct of work, and critiques documentary festivals for prioritizing sales over grassroots needs. Despite inclusion in art festivals like Documenta 13 and the Gwangju Biennale, he views the artworld as offering 'the perfume of politics.' Patwardhan remains optimistic about democracy's cyclical nature in India, despite current challenges.