On February 9, 2024, the film "Hindutva" was released on the Mask TV OTT platform. Written and directed by Karan Razdan, "Hindutva" is a love story that depicts reality and beauty through student politics. The film revolves around two childhood friends, one Hindu and the other Muslim. "Hindutva" explores the complexities of religious and communal differences that arise between friends when they become involved in college politics under the guise of Hinduism.
The film challenges the mindset that denigrates Hinduism and its beauty in the name of Western culture, highlighting the struggles of youth worldwide to assert their identity amidst ideological conflicts. It also portrays how some individuals, adherents of other paths, sow seeds of hatred against their own religion among Hindu boys and girls, leading to discord. It is said that religion makes you compassionate and humble, but one must realize that this boundary breaks, evolving into conflict over time, making it incredibly challenging to establish peace.
The story of "Hindutva" revolves around three main characters, Bharat Shastri (played by Aashish Sharma), Sapna Gupta (played by Sonarika Bhadoria), and Sameer Siddiqui (played by Ankit Raj). Bharat and Sameer were childhood friends, but as they grow older, Sameer becomes a student leader and gets involved in leftist ideologies, leading to conflicts. Bharat, a devout Hindu boy well-versed in Vedas and Shlokas, believes in showcasing the beauty of Hinduism and believes in the peace of all religions. On the other hand, Sapna falls in love with Sameer and admires his extremist ideologies, leading to conflicts when the truth comes out. Bharat stands with truth, fighting in student politics, while Sameer fights with his divisive negative thoughts. "Hindutva" presents a reflection of real events through fictional characters, focusing on the negative impacts of extremist and leftist ideologies on our Hindu religion and nation.
Speaking of dialogues and characters, bhajan Samrat Anup Jalota has a cameo in the film, but even after his small role, he brings life to his character. Dipika Chikhlia, known for her role as Sita Mata in the world-famous TV serial Ramayana, plays the role of Guru Maa in this film. Sonarika Bhadoria, who plays a pivotal role, delivers an outstanding performance, portraying a contrasting character in the first and second halves of the film. "Hindutva" successfully integrates emotional, communal, and religious elements to convey its message.
Produced under the banners of Tag Productions and Lord Shiva Communications, "Hindutva" is produced by Anju Bhatt and Chiranjivi Bhatt. The channel producer for Mask TV OTT is Mansie Bhatt. Karan Razdan has written and directed the film, with songs by Shweta Raj and music by Ravi Shankar. The songs are sung by Anup Jalota, Daler Mehndi, Divya Kumar, Master Salim, and Madhu Shree. The PR for "Hindutva" is handled by Sanjay Bhushan Patiyala.
