When mass movie tropes inspired campaign videos

The hero flicking up the dhoti with one swift movement of the foot, twirling up his moustache and strolling majestically, in slow motion, amid fireworks and delivering punch dialogues are scenes desig

The hero flicking up the dhoti with one swift movement of the foot, twirling up his moustache and strolling majestically, in slow motion, amid fireworks and delivering punch dialogues are scenes designed for mass movies to evoke hysteric whistles in theatres. Those tropes seem to have inspired an avalanche of election campaign videos capturing candidates doing all this and much more, some with considerable panache and others with perceptible discomfort. While well-crafted mass movies guarantee success, can the same be said about campaign videos? Renji Panicker, who penned blockbuster political thrillers like Thalasthanam and Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans, finds nothing wrong in such campaign material using cutting-edge modern technology.