'Tandav', 'Dark 7 White', 'Queen': Web shows that use politics as springboard for fictional drama
However, it will be a while before an Indian filmmaker will be game to show heavy politics the way, say, The Comey Rule did.
Politics has never really been a favoured subject for Bollywood filmmakers. In a country where mainstream cinema never really got out of the grip of censor woes and protest groups, the Hindi film industry by and largely avoided cinema that spoke of politics and politicians.
There have been cases in the past, after all, when themes pertaining to politics faced trouble. Kissaa Kursee Kaa was banned from release during Emergency owing to its satirical depiction of democracy in the country. Aandhi was banned a few months after release because it was felt that the film bore shades of Indira Gandhi and her politics. Parzania, depicting a fictional story against the backdrop of the 2002 Gujarat riots, was banned in that state, and so was Firaaq. Inshallah Kashmir won a National Award but was denied release, allegedly for showing the torture of ex-militants at the hands of the army personnel.
Bollywood cinema has naturally hesitated to look at Indian politics and political themes while setting up fictional drama.
However, the emerging streaming space is a different ball game altogether. With no direct sensor control and with films and/or series going straight to cyberspace, makers have the luxury to explore politics through fiction. While not many shows have directly tackled such themes, the numbers are growing.
It will be a while before an Indian filmmaker will be game to show heavy politics the way, say, The Comey Rule did. But there has been a definite move towards the intrepid portrayal of political characters and themes in our shows lately.
Here's a list of some of the best shows that use politics as a springboard for fictional drama: