Ankhen and India's Cold War Anxiety

Ankita and Azhar analyze India's Cold War anxities through the 1968 Hindi spy thriller Ankhen (Eyes), directed by Ramanand Sagar. India is facing a crisis as its "enemies" are fueling riots within the nation. Concerned citizens and businessmen take it on themselves to protect national sovereignty and defeat the enemies who remain nameless and are signified through a concoction of Mao, Hitler, Napolean. Is such a muddled narrative deliberate? Is the film a cold war (US friendly) propoganda? Or is the film emblematic of India's infamous non-alignment? The co-hosts dive deeper into the meanings of the film, its value, its propagandist appeal while critiquing US imperialism's role in destablizing socialist/communist aspirations of the rising East. Write to us at [email protected] As always, subscribe to the podcast, and don't forget to leave us a review!