Nationalism and social change: Muslim terrorism in selected Bollywood films

Bollywood’s post-liberalization cinema has increasingly operated as a cultural apparatus that both reflects and reinforces the politics of nationalism, often through its strategic creative adaptations of social and religious identity. Within this cinematic discourse, representations of terrorism have evolved into a powerful ideological tool, shaping perceptions of Muslims as internal or external threats to the Indian nation-state. Against this backdrop, the present study investigates the profound ideological influence of Indian Hindi cinema during the 1990s, particularly within the melodramatic war genre. It examines how these films engage with identity politics, unravelling the shifting dynamics between India’s Hindu majority and Muslim minority, as well as the nation’s uneasy relationship with Pakistan. Through a close textual and visual analysis of three key films—Garv (Honour and Pride), Dil Se (From the Heart), and Fiza—the research decodes the metaphoric and symbolic construction of Indian Muslims as internal ‘Others’ and Pakistani Muslims as external ‘Others’. Employing a cohesive analytical framework, it explores recurring themes, narrative structures, and aesthetic strategies that contribute to the normalization of such portrayals. Findings reveal a persistent pattern of stereotyping, where cinematic narratives frame Indian Muslims as latent threats and Pakistani Muslims as antagonists. Yet, these portrayals also mirror deeper socio-political anxieties embedded in post-liberalization India. The paper concludes by advocating for a critical reassessment of cinema’s ideological function, urging scholars and viewers alike to move beyond reductionist narratives and engage with the complex realities of nationalism and social change.