In previous conflicts between India and Pakistan, there was a general sense that it was our governments who were at war and not the people. But this time, it seemed different. There was a parallel war being fought on social media. It was clear that the governments on both sides wanted to shape public opinion through controlling the flow of information.
“Deceptive” is sort of the operative word when it comes to Theroux — the question of how much of his bemused, questioning affect is legitimate, and how much of it is him playing up for the camera. This is what makes Theroux the perfect documentarian for a topic like this — his straightforwardness in approaching a subject cuts through the mire and arrives at a crystal clear center.