Before the release of any movie based on a historical character, it has become mandatory for random religious or political groups to stand up and protest against it. Pick any film from the past- 'Devdas', 'Jodha Akbar', 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela-Ram Leela', 'Rang Rasiya' and more -- it had to face its share of protests. This was because either the content rubbed the religious sentiments of a certain group, or because the script had included several fictitious characters and events.
Keeping in view the taste of the Indian audience and the pressure of the commercial market, most filmmakers resort to the glamour staple. The creative liberty goes to an extent that we have an Akbar with western mannerism in 'Jodha Akbar' or Paro-Chandramukhi making nuanced Bollywood moves in ‘Devdas’.
Adman Bharat Dabholkar recently took a pot-shot at Sanjay Leela Bhansali for being way too imaginative while depicting the life of Peshwa Bajirao on screen. He was particularly critical about his two wives. In a snappy post on social media, Dabholkar came down heavily on the number 'Pinga', pointing at the glamorous dances by the A-list Bollywood beauties, playing Kashibai and Mastani. Dabholkar’s sarcasm was over Bhansali’s over dramatic presentation, which deviated from the historical facts.
Pratap Sarnaik, Shiv Sena MLA has demanded to stop the release of the movie as it has portrayed the Maratha hero wrongly and has meddled too much with the historical facts. The descendent of Bajirao and Mastani too have demanded that the movie should be screened for the Peshwa family before it is released at the theatre.
Bhansali had derived the basic plot of the movie on a book based on Bajirao titled ‘Rao’, which was written several years ago. Priyanka Chopra has been defending the historical background of the movie, by giving reference to the novel from which it has been inspired.
Filmmakers have always taken creative liberties in order to make their product more entertaining and appealing to a large section of audience. Despite the researches and references from famous books, the filmmakers often fall into the trap by following the rules applicable for the masala genres.
West is famous for making off beat, historical and period dramas, though the battery of research team, working behind the scene ensures that the plot remains close to the real life, there have been several instances where the historical facts were way off the mark:
The Alamo (1960): The movie was a gripping right-wing fantasy. But, critics slammed it stating that no aspect of the movie matched with the Alamo siege that took place in 1836.
Braveheart: Mel Gibson’s epic historical war drama released in 1995, was criticised for being factually incorrect. The plot of movie showed William Wallace as a magnificent military leader, but, historically he was just a notable leader who had won a few significant victories.
Pearl Harbour (2011): There was a big debate over the authenticity of the plot of the movie which had Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett playing two American pilots caught up by the Japenese in World War 2, attacking Pearl Harbour.
Selma: Director Ava DuVernay's Selma received flak from Lyndon B Johnson, a historian who lambasted the filmmakers for being too imaginative with the facts. He elaborately explained the historical inaccuracies in the movie, which was about Martin Luther King’s 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery.
JFK: Oliver Stone’s JFK released in 1991, came under a scanner for showing three unreliable witnesses in the court case in the movie.
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