Films have the remarkable ability to bring people together and create awareness about social issues and communities. How do films use their storytelling to shed light on complicated issues? What impact do they have in inspiring collective action?

These were some of the themes discussed during a one-on-one conversation between writer and podcaster Anurag Minus Verma and filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan at The Media Rumble 2023 that took place in Delhi on October 21. 

Neeraj said the definition of entertainment is “lopsided”. “It can be escapist, but it can also be something that makes you think,” he said. He talked about the “Savarna saviour” complex in films and the challenges of having no peers in the industry. 

Anurag and Neeraj also discussed the sanitisation of artistic expression, especially on OTT platforms and YouTube, and the intersection of identity and politics. 

Watch.

Listen to the conversation here: