IF SUCCESS is the sweetest revenge then the makers of “Mersal”, a Tamil-language action-romance, must be feeling smug. Supporters of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vented fury when the film was released in mid-October. Some shouted that it should be banned, unless a scene mocking government policy was cut. Others sniffed that the film’s lack of patriotic spirit might reflect the fact that its star, Thalapathy Vijay, is Christian. But for “Mersal” all this ugly talk was just good publicity: it has already grossed over $32m, close to a record for Tamil cinema.
The backfiring of this attack might be read as a parable for the troubles facing the BJP. It had seemed an unstoppable juggernaut, set to roll through a string of state polls up to the next general election in 2019 and beyond. It still holds trumps that any party would envy: a network of more than 110m members, generous funding, a largely sympathetic press and an energetic, charismatic leader in Narendra Modi, the prime minister. His government can...Continue reading
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