Celebrities on their favourite political films

What is life without a pinch of satire? And what is life garnished without a peal of laughter? From The Great Dictator to Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro to Hirak Rajar Deshe and many others — time and again we have resorted to films that criticise, mock and even lampoon the authorities through sharp wit and sense of humour. Here, we asked a few bigwigs about their favourite picks…

‘Political satire becomes a social commentary keeping the entertainment quotient intact’
The Great Dictator is my all-time favourite political satire.It is amazing how the film has depicted the socio-political turbulence of a particular time and yet has never appeared to be preachy. That is the charm of a political satire. It becomes a social commentary keeping the entertainment quotient intact. We see it in Hirak Rajar Deshe too. But I like The Great Dictator more as a film
— Nabaneeta Dev Sen, author

‘India has many components of satire’
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro is my favourite political satire. The way it reflects the transition of that period is amazing. That’s why the characters in the film behaves the way they behave. I think that is the charm of a political satire. India is a big country and hence, has many components of satire. While our country practises the philosophy of peace, we also saw a lot of violence. All these things can make relevant satires.
— Goutam Ghose, director

‘I loved the aesthetics of Hirak Rajar Deshe’
Hirak Rajar Deshe (1980)
I pick Hirak Rajar Deshe as my favourite Indian political satire. The film incorporates many aspects of the society. I could relate to the social life. Moreover, I liked the interpretation. Cinema is a composite art. Besides stating a particular philosophy, I loved the aesthetics of Hirak Rajar Deshe.
— Leena Gangopadhyay, director

‘In Bhavni Bhavai, socio-political scene is depicted through the tales of kings and queens’
Bhavni Bhavai (1980)
Ketan Mehta’s Bhavni Bhavai is a brilliant political allegory. It is one of the early films
of Ketan Mehta. The socio-political scene is depicted through the tales of kings and queens. Same happens in Hirak Rajar Deshe. While these two are allegorical, Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro is a political satire in its true sense. I really like the film.
— Suman Mukhopadhyay

‘Suman, as a young director, had done a great job in Herbert’
Herbert (2005)
Herbert is my favourite political film, directed by a young director, Suman Mukhopadhyay. I feel it is the youth, who take forward the baton. It is written by Nabarun Bhattacharya and it is one of my favourite Bengali films. I would also like to mention Satyajit Ray’s Pratidwandi and Mrinal Sen’s Interview. Another political film that left a deep impact in my mind is Mainak Biswas’s Sthaniyo Sangbad.
— Joy Goswami, poet
Satires that struck a chord with fans
Bananas (1971)

Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Woody Allen, Louise Lasser and others
While any revolution can bring about a change, it doesn’t come without its share of sacrifices. Bananas is one of Woody Allen’s early works, where a young man gets involved in a revolution in a fictional country of San Marcos. Interestingly, his motive is different from others. He wants to impress the woman he likes. He visits the republic and attempts to show his concern for the native people and almost gets killed by the locals — and then saved by the revolutionaries, leaving him indebted to them.
The Interview (2014)

Director: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Cast: James Fraco, Seth Rogen and others
This film ran into a lot of controversy for its storyline, but that didn’t stop it from becoming one of great political satires made in recent times. Two journalists score an interview with a North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for their show ‘Skylark Tonight’. But all goes out for a toss after the CIA recruits them for his assassination instead.
The Death of Stalin (2017)

Director: Armando Iannucci
Cast: Steve Buscemi, Simon Russel Beal and other
It’s a piece of comedy that brings up the issue of how power corrupts people. The story is about the fight for power among Stalin’s ministers as he lies on his deathbed. Complete with a tightly written script and packed with punchlines and one liners, the film tries to shine the light on the ugly side of the power-hungry leaders and the extent to which they are willing to go, just to be at the top.