"Swades"

Swades gives me a good impression of Indian cinema and the movies it produces. First, the film was well made which makes it easy for the viewer to watch. The film was clearly produced with care to detail, while this may have to do with a better budget than some films, this is still a notable quality. Swades also has a very good story, the writer put a lot of thought into the message he is giving the audience and did a very effective job of setting it up and leaving a lasting impression. I also think this film has perfected the art of showing local qualities, while at the same time making the movie enjoyable for foreign viewers. Much of the film takes place in a remote Indian village, which I felt was at least somewhat accurately portrayed. The film shows several local scenes and customs, such as a village meeting, and even addresses local issues such as arranged marriage and electricity problems. The film does deny the local culture’s trend of breaking out into song and dance routines. The film does however, show these thing in a way that is enjoyable for global culture that might not be used to these qualities. On the other hand, the fact that this is easy for global viewers perhaps means that the film conceals some of the local culture in exchange for entertainment. In an article read earlier Dudley Andrew said, “A course in study of world cinema…should put students inside unfamiliar conditions of viewing rather than bringing the unfamiliar handily to them”. This suggests that a film such as Swades is not a foreign film that is a good representation of local qualities, and does not help to educate the viewer. I would agree with Andrew on this statement.