Hunger Strikes That Changed Politics and Inspired Biopics

More than three decades ago, on this day, a 27-year-old fasted for 66 days, before he died. Stuff of legend & biopics

Across the world, hunger strikes have changed the course of politics, and given rise to some brilliant movies. (Photo: iStock)

Hunger is a great tool for political rebellion, especially when it is self-imposed for a cause. It’s emotional ramifications also assure arses in seats at the movies. Here are a few instances of hunger strikes from across the globe that shook the political scene of the time, and make for some inspirational movie magic.

Bobby Sands - 66 Days of Hunger

Bobby Sands was a member of the Irish Republican Army, which believed in violence to end the oppression of the Catholic minority by the British state. While in prison, he resorted to a hunger strike to enforce demands that basically added up to him and his comrades being considered political prisoners, as opposed to the ordinary ones.
Bobby was 27 years old when he died. Over hundred thousand people attended his funeral and his cause was catapulted to international fame.
Margaret Thatcher’s government though, considered him a terrorist and was quite happy to see him go.
She definitely wouldn’t approve of a Hollywood biopic based on him, especially if it had scenes like these. This is a single take 19-minute conversation between Bobby and a priest in the movie Hunger. This is where he decides:

Bhagat Singh – 116 Days of Hunger

While in jail for murdering Saunders, Bhagat Singh went on a hunger strike opposing discriminatory treatment of Indian prisoners. Clean food, clean clothes, books and newspapers to read, were some of his demands. The British sought to break him by replacing water with milk, force-feeding and brutality. By this time, his popularity among the common Indians extended countrywide. To avoid a revolt, Bhagat Singh was hanged (along with Sukhdev and Rajguru) a day earlier than scheduled and his body incinerated in secrecy.
The Legend of Bhagat Singh is a drama set way outside reality. The three freedom fighters singing mellifluously on their way to the execution definitely didn’t happen. But goosebumps, nevertheless, because it’s mass cinema at its best.

Irom Chanu Sharmila - 5625 Days of Hunger

Mengoubi (the fair one) has been fasting for almost sixteen years now, to repeal the AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), which grants security forces the power to search properties, make arrests and use deadly force among many others. Incidentally, Mahatma Gandhi fought against a similar law (General Jan Smut’s law), in South Africa.
She is an inspiration – to put it mildly, and very inadequately – to an entire generation of activists and to people who seek a contemporary example of what it means to take a stand.
There’s no movie on her yet, but it’s only a matter of time. If it conveys even half the depth of her spirit, I’ll gladly sit through a couple of songs.

(Vikram Venkateswaran is a freelance writer, TV producer and media consultant. Headings, titles and captions are his kryptonite. He just moved to Chennai and hopes the city likes him and is nice to him.)