"A fake narrative can persist only for a limited period of time"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his thoughts on Vikrant Massey's latest film, The Sabarmati Report. The movie, which delves into the tragic Godhra train burning incident of 2002, appears to have struck a chord with the PM, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time.
Modi retweeted a post praising the film, adding his own remark, "Well said. It is good that this truth is coming out, and that too in a way common people can see it. A fake narrative can persist only for a limited period of time. Eventually, the facts will always come out!"
The Sabarmati Report revisits the horrific events of February 27, 2002, when the S6 coach of the Sabarmati Express was set ablaze at the Godhra Railway Station. The incident claimed the lives of 59 passengers, many of whom were kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya after participating in the Ram Temple movement. The tragedy triggered widespread communal riots in Gujarat, leading to immense loss of life and property, and has remained a deeply contentious subject in Indian politics and media for over two decades.
This is not the first time PM Modi has shown support for films tackling sensitive historical events. In 2022, he lauded The Kashmir Files, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, which depicted the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during the insurgency in the 1990s.
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Despite the Prime Minister's endorsement, The Sabarmati Report had a modest opening at the box office, raking in ₹1.25 crore on its first day. However, the film witnessed a 68% increase in collections on Saturday, bringing its domestic total to ₹3.35 crore within two days. The surge suggests growing interest, likely fueled by word of mouth and Modi's public acknowledgment.
Modi's comment, "Truth is coming out," seems to resonate with his long-standing stance on the Godhra incident and its aftermath. His endorsement adds a political dimension to the film's narrative, suggesting that the portrayal aligns with his perspective on the tragic event. With The Sabarmati Report now in the public eye, it will be interesting to see if it follows a trajectory similar to The Kashmir Files, which became a sleeper hit after receiving political backing.