The Silent Crisis: Air Pollution's Absence from Indian Cinema

While severe air pollution affects millions in India, filmmakers and authors seem hesitant to address this urgent issue in mainstream narratives. With only a handful of documentaries tackling the subject, the alarming health impacts fail to emerge as a critical conversation in Indian pop culture, resulting in what some describe as a failure to engage with this "slow violence."

In the 2016 Bollywood film Pink, Amitabh Bachchan's character famously navigates the smog-laden streets of Delhi while wearing a mask, representing one of the few instances where air pollution is visually acknowledged in mainstream Indian cinema. However, unlike more visually dramatic disasters such as the floods in Uttarakhand or Kerala, the ongoing crisis of air pollution rarely permeates the narratives seen on the big screen, leaving it underrepresented despite being a public concern.

Siddharth Singh, author of The Great Smog of India, recently lamented this disparity, suggesting that air pollution has not been effectively woven into the fabric of Indian literature and filmmaking. Much of the discourse surrounding pollution rests in academic and scientific circles, failing to translate into a language that resonates with the everyday experiences of the average person. Singh points out that terms like PM2.5 hold little meaning without context, indicating a disconnect in effectively conveying the urgency of the crisis.

Amitav Ghosh, another prominent writer, has critiqued contemporary fiction for lacking narratives around climate change, describing it as a "slow violence" that many have come to accept as part of life. His observations resonate deeply in the context of pollution, which often leads to chronic health issues without offering the immediate and dramatic visuals that filmmakers frequently seek to portray.

Documentaries have sought to close this gap. Shaunak Sen's acclaimed film All That Breathes, nominated for an Oscar in 2022, narrates the plight of two brothers who rescue wounded black kites amidst the toxic skies of Delhi. Sen described his open-ended exploration of air pollution and climate change as integral to understanding human and animal coexistence—suggesting that the effects of environmental degradation seep into every aspect of life. He argues for creatively representing these themes in ways that captivate audiences without direct moralizing.

Some filmmakers are attempting to blend environmental themes with accessible storytelling. Nila Madhab Panda, who has tackled climate-related stories since 2005, has transitioned to mainstream cinema to engage broader audiences. His film Megha's Divorce depicts a couple grappling with the decision of remaining in a city marred by pollution. Panda emphasizes the importance of being entertaining to command attention, signaling his awareness of audience engagement.

Despite these efforts, the challenge of conveying the human aspects of pollution remains. Singh recalls struggling to find personal accounts through the statistics of pollution-related deaths—the narratives he argues could galvanize public response. Recent popular culture, notably through social media, has emerged as a more effective medium for raising awareness, with memes capturing the grim reality of air quality.

In conclusion, while India's air pollution crisis poses significant health risks that deserve attention, its portrayal in cinema and literature remains limited. The prevalence of memes may hint at a shift, as they foster engagement that could prompt more substantial responses from those in power. The conversation about urban air quality requires both artistic innovation and an expansion of narrative frameworks to truly resonate within Indian culture.