Silver Screen Spell: Unraveling the Influence of Indian movies on creating Identity Crisis among Pakistani Youth

Author(s) : Amber Javed, Zarqa Azhar

Abstract:

This research aims to explore the influence of heroism and demonism as depicted in Indian films on the national identity crisis among youth, focusing on a case study conducted at the University of Sargodha. Using a purposive or convenient sampling technique, the study selected 300 individuals from the population and categorized them demographically. The survey research method used to collect responses from the chosen sample, using appropriate statistical tests tailored to the nature of hypotheses to achieve statistically significant results. The findings of the study strongly confirmed the hypothesis and revealed a pronounced preference among respondents for Bollywood films over those from Lollywood and Hollywood. Furthermore, the results highlighted that respondents spent more time watching Bollywood films as they felt they suited their lifestyle. Notably, internet platforms have been the preferred medium for accessing Bollywood content. A substantial majority of respondents showed a significant attraction to the comedic, musical and thematic elements present in Bollywood films. Furthermore, the survey revealed a tendency among respondents to emulate Indian film characteristics such as hairstyles, dialogues, music, dresses and festivals, driven by the pursuit of personal satisfaction. This emulation extended to clothing choices, including traditional Indian garments such as kurta, churidar, lehenga and mathapati. Interestingly, the survey also revealed that Indian cultural elements had a profound influence on social interactions with both parents and friends among respondents. A crucial revelation of this study focused on the youth's national identity crisis, strongly confirming the hypothesis that Bollywood films have a direct impact on Pakistani national identity. The study concluded that Hindu cultural elements, as depicted in Indian films, had a significant influence on Pakistan's national language, dress, food habits, national symbols, the Two Nation Theory, national heroes and perceptions of the military. In essence, the study underlines the multifaceted role of Indian cinematic representations in shaping youth perceptions of identity and cultural affinity within the Pakistani context.