I&B ministry, Amazon sign pact: While there are various methods to create an impact on society, the most effective approach is often the one that emotionally resonates with people. Establishing person-to-person connections is a prime example of this. However, in the digital age, we must also acknowledge the potential impact of various forms of online content, such as films, web series, and documentaries.
These mediums possess the power to shape people’s perspectives and mould society as a whole. Given their sensitivity and influence, it’s crucial to involve various stakeholders, including the government, in ensuring responsible content creation and distribution.
Collaboration between Amazon India and the Ministry of I&B
In any society, the extra indulgence of the government in civil societies is always a bad sign. But it does not imply that the government should leave them unchecked. We have seen a long tradition of debates and feuds between many stakeholders of society and content creators regarding that. Leaving that aside for a moment, let us first go to the current step taken by the government.
A new collaboration between the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Amazon India has been revealed. I&B ministry, Amazon sign pact highlights Indian culture, talent, and content for a worldwide audience. During the partnership’s launch, Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister of I&B, remarked that India possesses countless untold stories spanning from spiritual to technological and from rural areas to emerging regions.
The I&B Ministry said, “The Letter of Engagement with Amazon also includes aspects on the promotion of Indian heritage through a dedicated catalogue of Publication Division’s books on India’s culture on the Amazon e-commerce website and the promotion of Indian music on Amazon Music and Alexa.”
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Key content of the I&B ministry, Amazon sign pact
The Letter of Engagement (LoE) is aimed at establishing avenues for the advancement of innovative talent in India. It also aims to develop capabilities within noteworthy institutions and platforms such as the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI).
I&B ministry, Amazon sign pact will create a path for exhibiting creative content produced in India to global audiences. Anurag Singh Thakur noted that the Amazon India collaboration is exceptional in several aspects and that the LoE encompasses multiple facets for the creative industry. This includes-
- IMDb, in conjunction with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Amazon, will facilitate the discovery of Indian talent.
- Prime Video and miniTV will collaborate to provide internships and scholarships for students at the FTII and SRFTI. They will also organise masterclasses for individuals selected under MIB’s 75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow initiative. This seeks to identify and nurture young filmmaking talent.
- Prime Video and miniTV will feature iconic content from NFDC, Doordarshan, and the International Film Festival of India to commemorate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
- A dedicated storefront will be established on Amazon.in to showcase MIB’s books and other publications.
- Alexa, in partnership with Prasar Bharati, will disseminate news bulletins, educational content, and historical speeches from India’s prime ministers and presidents.
- Amazon Music and Alexa will make available a diverse selection of Indian music content.
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How Indian entertainment promotes propaganda
The step of I&B ministry, Amazon sign pact will promote Indian essence in content that unfortunately remains absent from the current movies and other shows. Currently, most movies, particularly those from Bollywood, are propagating contents that are anti-Hindu and anti-Brahmin. Basically, this content seems highly inspired by the colonial mentality that divided our society.
In order to appease the radical and anti-India elements, subtle propaganda is played in front of an entertainment-hungry audience. The political and ideological preferences of any content creator are exemplified in their work, while the actual goal of entertaining the people takes a back seat.
The sole purpose of this type of picturisation is to promote hostility in the masses on the basis of religion and caste so that a section that affiliates with their ideology becomes more vocal, thereby solidifying their follower base.
This is done by various notorious directors like Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap and Anubhav Sinha, among others. There are certain platforms as well that are indulged in these types of malpractices, the most prominent being Netflix.
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The engagement of Amazon with a taste of Indian values can eventually eradicate this type of detrimental tradition from Bollywood and other literary sources. In fact, Amazon Prime Videos had earlier pushed this kind of agenda-driven content on its platform. It was heavily criticised for airing questionable agendas such as Paatal Lok, Four More Shots, and Tandav.
However, the platform has recently shifted towards producing high-quality Indian content, including Panchayat, The Family Man, Breathe: Into the Shadow, Shershaah, and Sardar Udham, as well as internationally acclaimed series like The Boys and The Good Doctor.
Now, Amazon Prime Video offers a diverse range of genres, appealing to audiences of all ages, from romance and action to psychological thrillers and horror.
On the other hand, Netflix has been notorious for promoting content that focuses only on peddling a woke agenda. This was exemplified by Cuties, 365 Days, Mai, and Sacred Games. Further, content like “The Archies,” which was accused of relying on nepotism and lacking in compelling storytelling or creative content, had only added fuel to this fire.
Aside from that, Netflix subscribers are declining. Reportedly, Netflix is set to lose 7,00,000 UK subscribers. Last year, it lost more than one million subscribers.
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Don’t throw caution to the wind
This is why the recent sign pact of Amazon India with the I&B Ministry to push India-centric content—one that keeps Indian ethos in mind—is worth applauding. It’s good to be optimistic, but it becomes important to be cautious at the same time. Seeing the controversial past of the platform and the government’s lack of interest in timely intervention and creating necessary checks and balances, there is an apprehension that Amazon may misuse this tie-up for nefarious purposes.
The content platforms have a vested interest, and hence they try to play both ends against the middle. If the government ends up making Amazon the flag bearer of Indian cultural and entertainment glory, it is going to be the biggest win for the nation. But if somehow Amazon India retreats to its previous course, this engagement will further deteriorate the sanctity of Indian entertainment and literature.
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