While Indian cinema once focused on original stories competing globally, there is now a surge in mythological films featuring gods like Rama, Vishnu, and Shiva, made as big pan-India productions with top stars and advanced technology. Film critic Bismi claims these films have a political agenda: certain Hindutva groups use them to promote Hindu ideology subtly to younger audiences by presenting mythological tales in modern ways.He says this aims to keep people connected to Hindu roots, supported by huge promotional budgets. Recently, groups reportedly pressured critics to avoid negative reviews for the film Kannappa, raising concerns about freedom of expression in cinema.