War on Reels: A Comparative Study of the 1971 Liberation War in Films from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan

This study looks into how recent South Asian films have been cinematically engaging in depictions of the 1971 Liberation War especially in "Mujib: The Making of a Nation" (Bangladesh, 2023), "Khel Khel Mein" (Pakistan, 2021), and "Pippa" (India, 2023). It looks into the narratives, ideological underpinnings, and cinematic techniques of these films through a critical lens to gauge how they help perpetuate certain values in constructing national identities and collective memories in South Asia. This research examines the demarcations of history, locations of sociological discourses, and ideological leanings in each national cinema in its representation of war. This includes both transnational relations and ruptures between the respective filmic narratives. It also analyses how these cinematic languages refigure contemporary political discourses and the geopolitics of South Asia. Our results suggest that these films are effective instruments for contributing to national narratives and shaping regional geopolitical perceptions by frequently distorting historical truths. By utilising distinct cinematic techniques and storytelling, these speak in different versions of history. These films also reinforce distinct national narratives as a central ideal concept, both culturally and politically.