This Eid, in India, belonged to two films that essentially celebrate Hindu mythology.
At a late night show of 'Baahubali' on the day that celebrates the conclusion of Ramzan, we watched a celebration of Lord Shiva. In the audience were quite a few Muslims in identifiable clothes — caps, hijabs, even burqa.
Despite its obvious mythology it does not alienate those who might not follow its precepts. In that sense, it is a truly secular movie, and I say this despite my aversion for standardised norms of secularism, or of the fads surrounding it as well as the slurs it invites by way of spelling. No, it is not sickular! (A review will follow later.)
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I have not yet watched 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan', but from what I've read and heard it is also simplistic and guileless. Here, a Hanuman bhakt takes it upon himself to unite a little girl who is Muslim and Pakistani with her family.
This qawwali here is something I've heard from better artistes, but just that moment when the protagonist breaks down as the music soars conveys that faith — religious or otherwise — is essentially about flowing.
Eid Mubarak!
Thank Bhagwan, nobody is making shameful faux-secular Islamist films like MY NAME IS KHAN and KURBAAN any more.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a HAIDER though.
FV,
ReplyDeleteWhen one person finds a thing Islamist and another finds it Islamophobic, the conclusion is simple- the problem lies with the word common to two sides.
When nobody wants to acknowledge the elephant in the room, it becomes necessary to (halaal-)slaughter it. Even if it creates a mighty mess.
F&F:
ReplyDeleteHeard the story about the blind men and the elephant? Besides,, sometimes the beast is not even in the room.