Rahul Gandhi Criticises Use of Films, Media for Political Propaganda

Sharing a video of his interaction with students of Marian College in Idukki, Kerala, on social media, Gandhi said cinema and media are increasingly being “weaponized” to denigrate communities and create social divisions.

Captioning the post, Gandhi said, “The real Kerala story is compassion, unity and always being there for each other. Cinema and media should bring people together, not be weaponized to divide society or denigrate communities.”

In the video, a student asked Gandhi whether cinema was increasingly being used as a tool for political propaganda to shape public perception, citing controversies surrounding films such as “Kerala Story”.

Responding to the question, Gandhi said that people understand the social and cultural fabric of Kerala.

“The theater of ‘Kerala Story’ looks empty and no one is really watching it. And that shows you that the majority of this country are people who understand what Kerala is and the traditions and cultures of Kerala,” Gandhi said.

He also spoke about his five-year experience as Wayanad’s Member of Parliament and the lessons he learned from the people of the state.

“I spent five years as an MP in Wayanad. I learned a lot from the people of Kerala and also from the people of Wayanad. When I first came there, there was a huge landslide and many people died. I was very surprised by the reaction of the people to this landslide. In fact, I was very impressed by it,” Gandhi said.

Describing the response of local residents during the tragedy, he highlighted the spirit of solidarity among the people.

“It was quite surprising to see someone who had lost their family, who had lost their home, be interested in helping someone else. And it didn’t matter what community that person was from, what religion they were, none of that mattered. There was a problem, and we all had to come together to solve the problem. I found that to be a very powerful thing,” he said.

Gandhi also said that the people of Kerala are highly respected across the country. “Of course, you have made us very proud. The only thing heard about the people of Kerala is praise,” he said.

He also reiterated his concerns about the role of media and movies in shaping narratives.

“Movies, TV and media have been weaponized to denigrate people, to alienate people, to create division in society so that some people benefit and others are harmed,” Gandhi said.