The notion that Vladimir Putin embodies the ideal of a Russian James Bond has taken hold in Russia to such an extent that it's almost become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The idea was popularized by Jude Law's portrayal of the Russian president in Olivier Assayas' film "The Wizard of the Kremlin," which premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year.
Law's performance depicted Putin as a master strategist, driven by a desire for power and a willingness to take risks, much like the iconic spy from the James Bond franchise. But what is less well-known about Putin is that he was actually chosen by his predecessor Berezovsky due to his perceived suitability - not because of any remarkable qualities or skills.
In reality, Putin's rise to power followed a very different trajectory. According to former oligarch Shalva Chigirinsky, who knew Putin personally and witnessed the selection process, Putin was chosen for his ability to be controlled and managed, as part of "The Family", a group of powerful figures that ruled Russian politics from behind the scenes.
This portrayal aligns with Russia's long-standing propaganda campaign which has created a mythical version of Putin - an omnipotent leader who never appears on screen but whose presence is felt through portraits in government offices or calls from above. However, this image was not reflected in the film "The Wizard of the Kremlin", where instead the politician at the center of the story is spindoctor Vadim Baranov.
One thing is certain: Law's casting as Putin has become a minor diplomatic triumph for Russia and a source of amusement for foreign audiences.
Law's performance depicted Putin as a master strategist, driven by a desire for power and a willingness to take risks, much like the iconic spy from the James Bond franchise. But what is less well-known about Putin is that he was actually chosen by his predecessor Berezovsky due to his perceived suitability - not because of any remarkable qualities or skills.
In reality, Putin's rise to power followed a very different trajectory. According to former oligarch Shalva Chigirinsky, who knew Putin personally and witnessed the selection process, Putin was chosen for his ability to be controlled and managed, as part of "The Family", a group of powerful figures that ruled Russian politics from behind the scenes.
This portrayal aligns with Russia's long-standing propaganda campaign which has created a mythical version of Putin - an omnipotent leader who never appears on screen but whose presence is felt through portraits in government offices or calls from above. However, this image was not reflected in the film "The Wizard of the Kremlin", where instead the politician at the center of the story is spindoctor Vadim Baranov.
One thing is certain: Law's casting as Putin has become a minor diplomatic triumph for Russia and a source of amusement for foreign audiences.
! It's wild how one film can take on a life of its own in Russia 
. Jude Law's portrayal of Putin has become like a cultural phenomenon, with Putin himself almost starting to embody the James Bond image 
. But let's not forget the reality behind the scenes - Putin was actually handpicked by Berezovsky due to his "manageability" 
, which is kinda creepy considering how we think of him now as this super powerful leader 
.
. I mean, can you imagine if Putin himself started referencing Bond in an interview? 
. I mean, come on, it's like they're saying "hey, we don't need skills or charisma just someone who can be controlled" 
. It's wild how the film actually showed Putin in a more real light, not some Bond-esque mastermind 
.
. This "The Family" thing is wild, btw – never knew they were so controlling 
. It's like, Putin's not even a Bond villain, you know? He's just a dude who got caught up in the system 
. The movie's actually more realistic than people think, but still, it's pretty funny to see Law all fancy and spy-ish 
. Anyway, I guess it's nice that Russia sees it as a good PR move 
.
But seriously, if we're gonna talk about Putin's rise to power it can't be just 'he was chosen for his skills', it's more like he was picked because of his ability to not rock the boat. The "Family" thing is so intriguing, I wish there were more stories about that behind-the-scenes stuff. 
. and now Russia's got this whole propaganda machine going on, painting him as a super powerful figure, even when he's not around 
. who knows, maybe Jude Law's portrayal will be the start of something new... or it'll just be a funny meme for us foreigners 
anyway i think its cool that foreign ppl are amused by this situation - at least its good for russia's diplomatic relations right? 
.
I'm just not buying it...
! And can you even imagine if Putin really was chosen because he's got that "controlled & managed" quality? Like, yikes 
... anyway, it's super interesting to see how Russia's propaganda machine created this whole myth around him. I mean, who wouldn't want a leader who's always lurking in the shadows, right? 
I mean, who knew he wasn't even the chosen one? It's wild how this myth was created around him - like, totally fits into Russia's propaganda machine tho. The idea of "The Family" controlling Putin from behind the scenes is so chilling tho 
it makes me wonder what other aspects are manipulated or hidden from public eye. I do wish they'd done a more accurate portrayal though, maybe something that shows a more human side? 
but in reality they're just as human (or not so human) as the rest of us 
"The Family" is literally just a fancy way of saying "we got scared of him and chose him anyway" 
. It's interesting to note how Russia has this whole propaganda campaign going on where they portray Putin as this almost mythical figure who's always in control 
i mean idk if ppl really think he's like james bond or watever but theres def some truth to the fact that hes been groomed by "the family" since he was young lol what a wild story about him being chosen cuz of his controllability idc how propaganda works in russia but its kinda trippy to see how much theyve made him out to be