Swades, Ashutosh Gowariker

In his film Swades, director Ashutosh Gowariker not only tries to portray the problems facing the nation of India, such as its lack of proper infrastructure, overpopulation ad rampant malnutrition, but also attempts to illustrate how a nation’s culture is important in the everyday lives of its people. When Gita rebukes Mohan for running off and forgetting his history and for trying to argue that the American culture is better simply because it is more organized and prosperous, she states that without its history, traditions and culture, a country would be nothing and argues that India’s customs are just as defensible. The director hopes to show audiences how, even though the country may be underdeveloped, it is still a prosperous society. However, along with the message comes the truth about India's poverty levels and state of affairs. When Mohan travels to a “nearby” village, he cannot help but feel devastated by the poverty and heartbreaking story of a weaver who, when he tried to change with the times, was not accepted into society. This, coupled with his at first futile attempts to bring new and old children into Gita’s school, illustrates how while every society in the world today has its positives each has shortcomings and weaknesses of its own. Gowariker is able to accurately and successfully balance the good and bad of a society throughout this film. While in India, Mohan encounters not only a nation in a state of disorder, but one that is unified and grateful. He sees not only the lack of modern tools and a disadvantaged population, but also new and exciting ceremonies and a culture grounded in their traditions and satisfied in their way of life.