India, Sept. 7 -- The canvas is expansive, not just in terms of the wide angles but the variety of landscape that it covers. But at its heart is a small story - always ready to trigger an emotional chord and at times even bring a lump to your throat. Whatever filmmaker and advertiser Bharat Bala fashions, it seems to be imbued with that magical touch where nationalism and India are the spine but never bubble to the surface in righteous rage as has been happening in the socio-political space in recent times.

Despite that, the original peddler of the idea of pop nationalism (think Vande Mataram, Jana Gana Mana , an ad for the Indian Army and another for Indian Oil) prefers to stay clear of making any political statement even though his fil...