1. IFFI Must Match Ambition with a Greater Sense of Purpose
1. Syllabus
GS-I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture. GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development.
2. Context
The editorial evaluated the recently concluded International Film Festival of India (IFFI), arguing that while the event has grown in scale and ambition, it lacks a deeper sense of purpose in shaping cinematic sensibilities and truly fostering new talent.
3. Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis
IFFI, held annually in Goa, is India’s largest and oldest film festival, intended to be a global platform for Indian cinema and a window for Indian audiences to world cinema.
- Scale vs. Substance: The festival boasts huge government funding, glitzy red carpets, and high political patronage, signaling its status. However, critics suggest the emphasis remains on Bollywood grandeur and political projection, often overshadowing the core objectives of a film festival: curation, discovery, and deliberation.
- Missing the Core Purpose: A truly impactful film festival should be a hub for moulding sensibilities, introducing challenging and niche cinema, and acting as an incubator for young, independent filmmakers. The editorial argues that IFFI often fails to give sufficient space and promotion to non-mainstream Indian and foreign films, which are crucial for cinematic education and dialogue.
- The Need for Curation: The selection process needs to prioritize artistic merit and relevance over commercial viability or political expediency. The aim should be to build a sophisticated film appreciation culture in India, enabling a generation of filmmakers and critics to discover diverse cinematic languages.
- Fostering Talent: IFFI must invest more in workshops, labs, and market initiatives (e.g., co-production markets) to directly support emerging talent, rather than just hosting celebrity appearances. The focus should shift to creating a robust ecosystem of production, distribution, and critical viewing.
4. Implications
IFFI, if not refined, risks becoming a mere spectacle. It misses the opportunity to establish India as a serious player in global arthouse cinema and to provide meaningful support to the country’s vast and diverse independent film industry.
5. Way Forward
The government should grant greater autonomy to the programming and curatorial team, benchmark IFFI against global festivals (like Cannes or Berlin), and ensure transparent selection criteria that prioritize cinematic excellence and discovery.
2. The Ban on Polygamy: Assessing the Legal and Social Implications
1. Syllabus
GS-II: Governance—role of civil society; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. GS-I: Salient features of Indian Society; Diversity of India.
2. Context
The editorial discussed the legislative moves by states like Uttarakhand and Assam to enact specific laws banning polygamy, effectively overriding the existing exemptions under Muslim Personal Law and linking the issue directly to the debate on a Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
3. Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis
The legal landscape of marriage in India is governed by a patchwork of personal laws, where monogamy is generally the norm, except for Muslim men under the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937.
- The Legal Dichotomy: The new state laws directly address this dichotomy, where an act punishable by jail for a Hindu or a Christian is a legal right for a Muslim man. Uttarakhand’s UCC and the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, aim to create a single, gender-just standard for all residents.
- Polygamy and Gender Justice: The core argument for banning polygamy is gender justice and equity. The practice is seen as fundamentally discriminatory against women, often leading to neglect, financial distress, and emotional trauma. These state laws categorize the offence as cognizable and non-bailable (Assam), imposing severe punitive and civil penalties.
- Data and Societal Reality: While often debated along religious lines, sociological data indicates that the practice of polygamy is declining across all communities in India. It is often most common among tribal communities, which is why both state legislations include an explicit exemption for tribal populations (those in the Sixth Schedule areas) to protect their unique customary practices.
- Constitutional Scrutiny: The constitutionality of these laws hinges on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of Article 25 (Freedom of Religion). Past judgments have held that what is protected is religious faith, not a practice that runs counter to public order, health, or morality. Polygamy is often viewed as a social practice, not an essential or integral part of a religion.
4. Implications
These state-level interventions serve as a legal precedent for a potential national UCC. They signify a political and legislative push to reform discriminatory personal laws in the name of gender equity, though they invite challenges on the grounds of religious freedom.
5. Way Forward
Any law on polygamy must be accompanied by robust measures for the social and financial protection of women from polygamous unions, ensuring they receive maintenance and inheritance rights, regardless of the legality of their marriage.
