Sudhir Mishra’s Viral Reflection on Radicalism Echoes Through His Upcoming Series Summer of ’76

Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra sparked intense discussion on social media with a powerful analogy likening the psychological high of speed addiction to the dangers of radicalism. In his tweet, Mishra wrote, "Reformed speed addicts talk about this: you’re speeding, and the rush, the intoxication of it, gets inside your head... It’s the same with any kind of radicalism... you stop reflecting... Then it gets even worse because you start hallucinating."

 

His comments touch on the seductive nature of extremism—where certainty replaces self-questioning, and dissent is seen not as difference but as danger. The parallel he draws mirrors documented accounts from rehabilitation centers like The Basement Recovery Project and analytical work from bodies like the PMC (Preventing Mass Casualties) on radicalization. The tweet offers a chilling reminder of how both substance addiction and ideological obsession can impair judgment and escalate toward harm.

 

This philosophical depth feels especially timely given Mishra’s forthcoming project, Summer of '76, a web series set during one of India’s most politically turbulent times: the Emergency (1975–1977). The eight-part series, coming soon to SonyLiv, is a political coming-of-age drama inspired by his maternal grandfather’s memoir. It promises to explore how youthful passion, disillusionment, and idealism collide in the face of authoritarianism.

 

The story follows a group of young individuals from various walks of life who become swept up in the Jai Prakash Narayan-led movement against Indira Gandhi’s regime. As they rebel against power structures, their political awakenings come at personal cost—testing friendships, ideologies, and identities. The cast includes Vishal Vashishtha, Isha Talwar, Saurabh Shukla, Rajat Kapoor, Manav Vij, Rahul Bhat, TJ Bhanu, and Anjan Dutt, signaling a rich ensemble-driven narrative.

 

Produced by Studio Next and Cine Raas Entertainment, Summer of '76 is poised to delve deep into the psychology of dissent, a topic Mishra is clearly both personally and politically invested in. His tweet on radicalism reads like a thematic preview of what the series might explore: the thin line between revolution and recklessness, between conviction and delusion.

 

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