Documentary explores Mann ki Baat’s positive impact

History TV18 launched its new documentary, “Mann Ki Baat-Bharat Ki Baat”, which explored the impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s path-breaking radio programme, Mann ki Baat, which recently completed 100 episodes. The film, featuring Sudha Murty, Virender Sehwag, Sadhguru, Sri Sri and Prasoon Joshi, among others, reflected on how the radio programme has become a catalyst for positive transformation.
Narrated by renowned lyricist and television personality Manoj Muntashir, the film explores how Mann Ki Baat has become a platform for a two-way conversation with the country’s citizens and how it has inspired positive changes. The radio show recently achieved a milestone of one hundred episodes. In addition to that, the documentary features interviews with prominent figures from various fields.
The film also showcases citizens and stories that have inspired the Prime Minister.
Sehwag says in the documentary, “When he (Narendra Modi) speaks at Mann Ki Baat, he speaks on many topics such as sports wellness and education. First, it used to be said that all the play spoils the child and all the reading makes the child, but now this proverb has changed. First, we used to get a few medals in the Olympics, but now we are winning more medals. When our PM says Khelo India, everybody would think that our PM is telling this to children in order to motivate them. But I would like to suggest that older people play as well. It’s said that in a country where sports stadiums are few, hospitals are many, Khelo Bharat and Swast India can reduce the need for hospitals in the country.”
Lyricist Prasoon Joshi says, “He (the PM) is talking with India. There is confidence among Indians as well as among youth. Now you can see that the use of Hindi has increased.”
Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “Mann Ki Baat is such a wonderful idea; it’s the best use of electronic media.” Spiritual guru Sadhguru says, Mann Ki Baat is a stupendous effort for 100 months, and this was never before done by any head of government. This has definitely been a tool to make many welfare schemes of the government into people’s movements.
Mann Ki Baat, a monthly radio programme, first aired in 2014, become a platform where the Prime Minister addresses the concerns of the people and listens to their suggestions. The programme also celebrates the efforts of ordinary individuals who make their communities better, cleaner, and safer.
In the documentary, aeronautical engineer and apple farmer Ringphami Aylwyn Thingshung says, “The reason I took up farming is that commercial apples are available in the market, but they are never planted in my area. Himachal and my place in the north-east are somewhat the same, which is why the climate is favourable and beneficial for farmers. After my name was mentioned in Man ki Baat, many people took up farming, and many have started. It motivated me to expand the farm.”
Renuka Devi, also known as Kisan Chachi (the name was made popular by PM Modi), says, “The work that was done on the farmland, was all done by me even though all the men objected. We saw everything, but I would work at night, and then I got a chance to advance. I used to make pickles, and in the meantime, I learned to cycle around with that pickle. So I would sell pickle, which helped in my advancement. If women start doing small jobs, then they will develop, be able to fend for themselves, and also brighten their future, with which our society will advance.”
While mentioning Tamil Nadu, a reel shows the PM saying, “The biggest thing about Mann Ki Baat is that more than me, there is other people’s contribution to it. Just recently, I saw a post from a person in Tamil Nadu saying that when you talk about Tamil Nadu in your Mann Ki Baat, my interest increases, and you have uplifted the language of Tamil and its greatness of culture. You have discussed them. So whatever you have said in Mann Ki Baat, I have made an e-book of it.”
The narrator also adds that if a man is educated, only one man is educated, but if a woman is educated, the whole family is educated. The documentary further talks about selfies with daughters, which became a trend through the programmes of Mann Ki Baat, and discusses how women have been playing a great role in the evolution of society.