ABSTRACT
Outside of India, Pakistan is a country that constitutes the most enthusiastic and loyal audience for Bollywood productions. There are two obvious reasons for Bollywood's popularity among Pakistani film viewers/cinegoers. One, a shared history. Other, a common language. Language is such a factor that isolates even Bangladesh and Nepal or India's other South Asian neighbours despite shared histories.
While Muslim historical(s) such as Mughal-e-Azam, Taj Mahal, Razia Sultan, or Pakeeza took Pakistan by storm, the films reconstructing the past in order to glorify the “Hindu” or otherifying Muslims/Pakistan are scorned at, made fun of, and become a subject of witty memes. The latter genre can be categorised into four kinds of productions. Firstly, films that vilify Pakistan by holding it responsible for militancy in Kashmir. Secondly, films that present Pakistan/Inter-Services Intelligence as a terror mastermind. Next, films that otherify Indian Muslims or show Hindu men in control of Muslim women bodies (Bombay, for instance). Finally, productions such as Panipat or Padmavat, that re-create the past to what many in Pakistan perceive as glorification of the Hindu past at the cost of Indian Muslims.
Subsequently, informed by James Carrey's “ritual view of communication”, this chapter establishes that Hindutva-style myth-making is effective only in the case of saffronised audiences, Bollywood dazzle notwithstanding.
