Selective Outrage: West Applauds Its Myths, Judges India's Narratives

• The article highlights a perceived double standard where Western films like *Missing in Action* were celebrated for revising war narratives, while Indian films like *Uri* and *Dhurandhar* are labeled as propaganda.
• Hollywood's 1980s action films, starring actors like Chuck Norris and Sylvester Stallone, offered audiences a fantasy of winning lost wars, receiving widespread acclaim despite their violent and nationalistic undertones.
• In contrast, India faced real-world terrorism, with cinema halls and public spaces repeatedly targeted by Pakistan-backed groups, leading to a demand for stronger responses.
• India's initial responses to trauma, like the 2008 Mumbai attacks, were often seen as diplomatic and tentative, leading to public frustration.
• Under Narendra Modi, India adopted a more muscular doctrine, with retaliatory actions like the Uri surgical strikes and Balakot airstrikes, signaling a shift towards overt retaliation, which films like *Uri* and *Dhurandhar* now reflect.