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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Father, Son, and Holy War
| image = Poster FatherSon Holy War.jpg
| caption = Film poster
| alt = A gigantic red-coloured man with six arms. Upper two arms flexing muscles. Rifle on the middle right hand. Sword on the lower right hand. Staff on the middle left hand. Decapitated head of a man on the lower left hand. Burning houses on the background. Front of the gigantic man is a campfire burning a mourning woman and a dead man.
| native_name = {{lang|hi|पितृ, पुत्र और धर्मयुद्ध}}
| director = [[Anand Patwardhan]]
| producer = Anand Patwardhan
| writer =
| music = Navnirman, Vinay Mahajan

| cinematography =
| editing =
| distributor =
| released = 1995
| runtime = 120 minutes
| country = India
| language = English, Hindi
| budget =
}}

'''''Father, Son, and Holy War''''' (''Pitra, Putra, aur Dharmayuddha'') is a 1995 film by Indian documentary filmmaker [[Anand Patwardhan]]. The film is shot in two parts, with the first (''Trial by Fire'') examining the link between the violence of the [[Hindu nationalist]] movement, such as the [[demolition of the Babri Masjid]], and sexual violence against women. The second part (''Hero Pharmacy'') looks at the nature of masculinity in contemporary urban India, and its role in encouraging sexual violence. As with other films of his, Patwardhan had to fight multiple court battles in order to force the national carrier ''[[Doordarshan]]'' to screen the film, a screening which eventually occurred on the orders of the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme court]]. The film received numerous national and international awards, and was also seen positively by critics.

== Synopsis ==

=== Part 1: Trial by Fire ===

The title of the first section is a reference to the ordeal that the Hindu god-king [[Rama]] used to test the fidelity of his wife after rescuing her from the demon king [[Ravana]]. The segment describes the various interconnected instances of communal violence in India in the years prior to the film. The film opens with the aftermath of the [[Bombay riots|anti-Muslim riots in Bombay]] that followed the [[demolition of the Babri Masjid]] in December 1992. Several Hindu youth are heard speaking to the cameraman, saying that they had enjoyed the killing and looting, and that a list of Muslim individuals had been prepared beforehand, and that some authority figures knew of the plans to target Muslims.<ref name="Minault 1996">{{cite journal|last1=Minault|first1=Gail|title=Father, Son and Holy War. by Anand Patwardhan|journal=The Journal of Asian Studies|date=February 1996|volume=55|issue=1|pages=235–236|doi=10.2307/2943713|jstor=2943713}}</ref>

The film then describes a connection between the Indian nationalist movement and violent masculinity. In a [[voice-over]], Patwardhan states that as a result of the [[British Raj]] stereotypes of "effeminate" Hindus and "martial" non-Hindu communities, the nationalist movement turned to militant symbols like [[Shivaji]] and [[Rama]].<ref name="Minault 1996" /> This led to an identification of Hinduism with the traditions of communities with more militant traditions, such as the [[Rajput]]s and the [[Maratha]]s, which included practices like ''[[Sati (practice)|sati]]''.<ref name="Minault 1996" /> This leads to a description of the murder of [[Roop Kanwar]] in [[Deorala]], [[Rajasthan]], in 1987. Kanwar was forced to immolate herself on the funeral pyre of her husband, supposedly in keeping with the tradition of ''[[Sati (practice)|sati]]'',<ref name="Bharucha 1995">{{cite journal|last1=Bharucha|first1=Rustom|title=Dismantling Men: Crisis of Male Identity in 'Father, Son and Holy War'|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|date=1 June 1995|volume=30|issue=26|pages=1610–1616|jstor=4402945}}</ref> a practice that had been illegal since 1830.<ref name="hist">{{cite book|last=Rai|first=Raghunath|title=History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4-8Z0gqBkoC&pg=PA137|publisher=FK Publications|isbn=978-81-87139-69-0|page=137}}</ref>

The documentary then goes on to describe how the identification of Hinduism with militant traditions also resulted in all opponents of [[Hindutva]], including [[Secularism|secular]] leaders and Muslims, as weak and effeminate.<ref name="Minault 1996" /> The film depicts several public rallies and speeches in which Hindu leaders use [[Misogyny|misogynistic language]] while criticizing Muslims.<ref name="Bharucha 1995" /> Instances of misogyny and intolerance in other religious groups is also depicted, with footage of [[Sikhism|Sikhs]] demonstrating in favor of ''[[Khalistan]]'', and the ''[[Fatwa]]'' issues against [[Salman Rushdie]].<ref name="Minault 1996" />

=== Part 2: Hero Pharmacy ===

The second segment of the documentary depicts common icons of masculinity, and explores their connection to misogyny and sexuality. Specifically, the film focuses on symbols of masculinity that are [[Phallus|phallic]] in nature. Many political leaders are heard linking non-violence and secularism to weakness and impotency.<ref name="Minault 1996" /> A religious leader campaigning for the [[Shiv Sena]] in [[Gujarat]] is seen asking Hindu women to have eight children apiece, as a means of combating the perceived menace of Muslims.<ref name="Bharucha 1995" />

The film shows the visits of several western cultural icons to [[Mumbai]], and the hero-worshiping reactions they generated among male youth from different backgrounds. The film then looks at aggressive and violent depictions of masculinity on television, both in [[Bollywood]] movies and in [[WWE|WWE wrestling]], and at reasons for their popularity.<ref name="Bharucha 1995" /> Examples of young children from different class backgrounds are shown exhibiting behavior that idolizes violence. Upper class children are shown mobbing professional wrestler [[Randy Savage]], more commonly known by his stage name of "Macho Man", while young male members of the Shiv Sena, from less wealthy backgrounds, are shown engaged in street-fighting. Several young men are heard off-screen describing how watching [[rape]] in movies was "fun", and discussing the possibility of gang-raping a woman that they are not acquainted with.<ref name="Bharucha 1995" />

== Reception ==

The film was completed in 1994,<ref name="Hindu 2006">{{cite news|title=Telecast Patwardhan film within 8 weeks: court|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/telecast-patwardhan-film-within-8-weeks-court/article3096202.ece|access-date=25 November 2014|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=26 August 2006}}</ref> and released the next year.<ref name="Official Website">{{cite web|title=Father, Son and Holy War|url=http://patwardhan.com/wp/?page_id=167|website=Films of Anand Patwardhan|access-date=11 December 2014}}</ref> It won two national awards and multiple international awards in the years that followed.<ref name="Hindu 2006"/> In 2004, the European ''DOX'' magazine listed it as one of the 50 most memorable documentaries of all time. As with previous films produced by Patwardhan, the national television channel [[Doordarshan]] initially refused to screen the film. Patwardhan challenged this decision in the [[Bombay High Court]], which ruled in his favor in 2001, ordering Doordarshan to telecast the film. The carrier challenged this decision in the [[Supreme Court of India|Indian Supreme Court]], which ruled in Patwardhan's favor in 2006, ordering that the film be screened without any cuts within eight weeks.<ref name="Hindu 2006" /> The judges observed that "This documentary film [...] showcases a real picture of crime and violence against women and members of various religious groups perpetrated by politically motivated leaders for political, social and personal gains."<ref name="Hindu 2006" /> The film was eventually screened following the ruling.<ref name="Prabhakar 201">{{cite news|last1=Prabhakar |first1=Jyoti |title=Indie films get slots on DD after JT story |url=http://mobiletoi.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=20&sectid=edid=&edlabel=TOIJ&mydateHid=27-04-2013&pubname=Times+of+India+-+Jaipur&edname=&articleid=Ar02000&publabel=TOI |access-date=11 December 2014 |work=Times of India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213012727/http://mobiletoi.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=20&sectid=edid=&edlabel=TOIJ&mydateHid=27-04-2013&pubname=Times+of+India+-+Jaipur&edname=&articleid=Ar02000&publabel=TOI |archive-date=13 December 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The film has a rating of 8.7 on the [[Internet Movie Database]].<ref name="IMDb">{{cite web|title=SEE RANK Pitra, Putra Aur Dharamyuddha|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110839/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1|website=Internet Movie Database|access-date=28 November 2014}}</ref> History professor [[Vinay Lal]], writing in the European art journal ''[[Third Text]]'', stated that ''Father, Son, and Holy War'' was a nuanced and daring film, that examined the "nexus between communalism, the changing culture of the contemporary Hindi film, violence towards women in many domains of Indian society, vernacular forms of masculinity, and other aspects of Indian society and culture."
<ref name="Lal 2005">{{cite journal|last1=Lal|first1=Vinay|title=Travails of the Nation Some Notes on Indian Documentaries|journal=Third Text|date=March 2005|volume=19|issue=2|doi=10.1080/0952882042000328089|pages=169–175|s2cid=142194323}}</ref> However, he said that film made a crude distinction between [[patriarchy]] and [[matriarchy]], and had a simplistic view of historical matriarchal societies. At the same time, Lal referred to Patwardhan as the most astute and sensitive documentary makers in his portrayals of Hindu [[Communalism (South Asia)|communalism]] and the sexual aspects of its ideology.<ref name="Lal 2005" /> [[Gail Minault]], reviewing the film for the ''Journal of South Asian Studies'', wrote that the film was "powerful" and "harrowing."<ref name="Minault 1996" />

== Awards ==

* [[National Film Awards|National Film Award]], [[National Film Award for Best Investigative Film|Best Investigative Documentary]], India, 1995<ref name="NFA1995">{{cite web|url=http://dff.nic.in/2011/42nd_nff_1995.pdf|title=42nd National Film Awards|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]|access-date=5 March 2012}}</ref>
* National Film Award, [[National Film Award for Best Film on Social Issues|Best Film on Social Issues]], India, 1995<ref name="NFA1995" />
* Special Jury Prize, [[Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival]], Japan, 1995<ref>{{cite web|title=YIDFF 2005|url=http://www.yidff.jp/2005/2005-e.html|publisher=Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival|access-date=23 November 2014}}</ref>
* In The Spirit of Freedom Award, [[Jerusalem International Film Festival]], Israel, 1995<ref name="JFF 1995">{{cite web|title=12th JFF |url=http://www.jff.org.il/?CategoryID=449 |publisher=Jerusalem Film Festival |access-date=23 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205160444/http://www.jff.org.il/?CategoryID=449 |archive-date=5 December 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>
* Special Jury Prize, [[Vancouver International Film Festival]], 1995
* International Jury Prize, [[Mumbai International Film Festival|Bombay International Film Festival]], 1996<ref>{{cite web|title=MIFF'1996 Award Winning Films|url=http://miff.in/miff1996-award-winning-films/|publisher=Mumbai International Film Festival|access-date=23 November 2014}}</ref>
* Audience award, [[Sheffield Doc/Fest|Sheffield International Documentary Festival]], 2012<ref name="Sheffield">{{cite web|title=Sheffield Doc/Fest Award Winners|url=https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/100-sheffield-doc-fest-award-winners|website=Sheffield Doc/Fest|access-date=24 November 2014}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

* {{Official website|http://patwardhan.com/wp/?page_id%3D167}}

[[Category:Indian documentary films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:1995 films]]
[[Category:Anand Patwardhan]]
[[Category:Documentary films about violence against women]]

Father, Son, and Holy War - Revision history

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