Religion Bashing….

Bollywood movies need controversies. They need sensationalism to provoke people. To generate mass hysteria! They can be assured of box office collections. But, some film makers do not realize the impact it has on the very people’s psyche! How traumatic it is for them to stomach such nonsense and keep silent. Just go about their normal daily chores as if everything is hunky dory. The movies in the sub-continent play a very big role in every day lives of people.  Amitabh is not adored just for nothing!! The craziness associated to films and the populace going ga ga over the oft repeated dialogues and recollection of scenes etc.!!  It strengthens any fool’s belief that the masses love and adore movies. They use it as a consoling factor or a soothing balm for their worries and their troubles!  But, what will happen when a filmmaker will use the medium to create trouble and divide the masses on communal grounds. When a particular religion is targeted and a stream of insults is unleashed on the silver screen! When others make mockery of them in their neighborhood, definitely one can expect a backlash!

History got repeated again! The recently released movie ‘Jo Bole So Nihal’ has hurt the Sikh community’s feelings in such a way that two theatres in Delhi witnessed bombings! We have not got over the shock and trauma of ‘Uphaar’ Cinema’s bomb blast episode in Delhi during the screening of ‘Border’! The authorities conveniently termed it as a militant organization’s revenge strike. Over the year the issue has been silenced. Still, the filmmakers are hell bent on raking communal issues and creating hatred and animosity among the secular citizens.

According to Sikh religious leaders, there are too many objectionable scenes in the movie. There is lot much nudity in the movie. The religious war cry is used as some ordinary slogan! And the producer justifies this, the movie being shot in the United States of America; it will definitely have scenes which the big apple is famous for!!  But, alas!! The Sardars of Punjab will not buy this consolatory theory.  One cannot insult a religion by which a Punjabi jat act in the role of a Sardar himself and pretend amnesia about the happening around! N.R. Pachisia, the producer has taken a back seat.  It is the director who has jumped head long into this controversy.  Rahul Rawail, himself being a Sikh has taken liberties with his fellow community brethren’s sentiments and He does not sound repentant.

But, the surprise part among the movie goers is, there could be many Catholics. Haven’t they noticed, How a killer, a dreaded terrorist has played with the sentiments of the normally peace loving catholic people!  I can recall only ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ a movie which had portrayed a priest being murdered in his confession chair.  Here, it is worse!!  The killer is portrayed as a devout Christian going by the name of Romeo played unsuccessfully by ‘Kamran Khan’!  After every killing, he goes to a priest and confesses about the killing to him.  After the confession is over, he ruthlessly kills the priest!!  How dare Rahul Rawail think of this idea?  He is a flop director, no doubt!  But, cleverly He has swayed away from portraying Muslim as a killer and in turn has picturised the villain as a Christian! Take this!  Why the Indian Catholics are silent?

If it were for Muslims desecration of the mosque or their religious heads, there would have been hordes of protests.  The government would have moved swiftly and ban the movie. But, we Catholics are very silent.  Against another movie ‘Sins’ there was protest whole over India.  But, about this film, there is not an iota of protest! We could have protested in a civilized way. Our religious heads, our associations, our learned people all over the country and spread across the globe, this is the time We need to unite.  Without studying about a religion and its sacred rituals, spent forces like ‘Rahul Rawail’ have made a mockery of Catholics!!  He needs to apologize for his dastardly act of provoking the sentiments of both ‘Sikhs’ and ‘Catholics’ alike and claiming to be a peace loving citizen.  He has destroyed the communal fabric of India.  There were better ways to weave the story about a bewakoof cop and the dreaded criminal. The cop need not be a Sikh and the killer need not be a Catholic! If not this torture, he has the audacity to act in the movie as a leader of ‘Al Fatwa’, a terrorist organization with a huge paunch and girth which will put ‘Guddi Maruthi’ to shame! It is about time, Catholics in India and Abroad unite to pressurize this crazy and suedo intellectual film maker to mend his ways and get a permanent ban for the movie.

Author: Donald DSilva- Mumbai