Following Pulwama, Bollywood producers scramble for jingoistic movie titles

Bollywood is moving to capitalise on the Pulwama attack and Indian government’s claims of a cross-LoC ‘surgical strike’ as film producers scramble to reserve jingoistic movie titles.

Indian media reported unusual activity at the cramped up offices of the Indian Motion Pictures’ Producers’ Association (IMPPA) in Andheri in Western Mumbai.

Producers were reportedly seen fighting to register titles like Balakot, Surgical Strikes 2.0, and Pulwama Attacks.

An Indian media outlet quoted a person present there as saying: “After a point, they started discussing amongst themselves, suggesting variations of the same title. It was quite a sight”.

The success of Uri: The Surgical Strike has resulted in this hyperactivity of the producers desperate to reserve titles around India-Pakistan conflict.

Confirmed titles include Josh” and How’s the Josh by the Vikram Malhotra-led Abundantia Entertainment.

According to data provided by trade magazine ‘Complete Cinema’, titles registered so far include Pulwama Pulwama: The Surgical Strike, Hindustan Hamara Hai, War Room, Pulwama Terror Attac, The Attacks of Pulwama etc.

An IMPPA representative confirmed to an Indian media outlet that following the Pulwama attacks, which led 49 soldiers of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) dead in Kashmir, and the so-called ‘surgical strike’ in Balakot on February 26, there had been a massive uptick in movie titles revolving around patriotism.

The registration fee for a title is merely 250 rupees plus an 18 per cent sales tax. The process is simple and requires an applicant to just fill a form.

Often, those registering a certain title don’t even intend to go through with a film/web-series or a TV show.

They register it so they can sell it off to a studio or a major producer who might have the financial infrastructure to actually make the film.