Aamir Khan – a Muslim Bollywood actor – is supposed to play the role of lord Krishna in the film adaptation of an ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata.
By Rakesh Raman
As Bollywood (loose name for Bombay-based film industry in India) is not known for the quality of its films, it stays in the limelight with myriad controversies around some avoidable issues.
Now the question “Can a Muslim Bollywood actor play the role of a Hindu God in a film?” has taken the center stage and an ugly Twitter war has begun between two opposing factions.
Aamir Khan – a Muslim Bollywood actor – is supposed to play the role of lord Krishna in the film adaptation of an ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata.
It is being made with the help of a businessman Mukesh Ambani at a huge budget of Rs. 1,000 crore (approximately $150 million).
Why should @AamirKhan, a Muslim, play in most ancient & sacred of Hindu epics, the Mahabharata? Is @BJP4India Govt of @narendramodi going to be like the @INCIndia & just stand by in name of secularism??? Would Muslims allow a Hindu to play life of Mohamed?https://t.co/fC7bvbHkZE
— Francois Gautier (@fgautier26) March 21, 2018
However, a French journalist François Gautier questioned the logic of having a Muslim in a Hindu story. “Why should Aamir Khan play in the most ancient and sacred of Hindu epics, the Mahabharata? Would Muslims allow a Hindu to play life of Muhammad (the founder of Islam)?” Gautier asked.
To this, a Muslim Bollywood scriptwriter Javed Akhtar – who is a self-styled specialist on Hindu-Muslim conflict issues – reacted sharply in his tweets. Akhtar used vulgar language against Gautier and questioned his motives to point the finger at Aamir Khan.
You scoundrel, have you not seen peter brooks production of this great epic Mahabharsta in France . I would like to know which foreign agency is paying you to spread this kind of perverse and poisonous thoughts in our country
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) March 21, 2018
“You scoundrel, have you not seen Peter Brooks production of this great epic Mahabharata in France? I would like to know which foreign agency is paying you to spread this kind of perverse and poisonous thoughts in our country,” Javed Akhtar tweeted.
He also indicated in his tweet that Gautier is being paid by some PR (public relations) agencies in India for “spreading negativity against the most ambitious film project of India Mahabharata planned by Mukesh Ambani and Aamir Khan.”
Mr Francois Gautier , would you tell us what is your deal with the PR agencies Like 20 20 India and Adelman India . Are they paying you well to spread negativity against the most ambitious fin project of India “Mahabharta” planned by Mr Mukesh Ambani and Aamir khan
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) March 24, 2018
Obviously, Gautier won’t sit quiet. He unleashed a verbal attack back on Akhtar, saying that there is a soldier of Islam behind every Muslim like Javed Akhtar and all Muslims secretly support Muslim terrorism which has happened in France.
Behind every Muslim, even seemingly moderate such as @Javedakhtarjadu ,there is a soldier of Islam.They may compromise on some aspects, but if u scratch ,they despise u and will secretly excuse terrorism such as 1 that happened in France, in name of Palestine, Chechnya or Kashmir
— Francois Gautier (@fgautier26) March 24, 2018
Hindu-Muslim Hate in India
Aamir Khan has been in the eye of the storm for his critical comments against the ruling Hindu party BJP – led by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi – which is responsible for increasing Hindu-Muslim conflicts in the country.
Recently, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein voiced his concerns about the increasing human rights violations in India.
Zeid said that he is increasingly disturbed by discrimination and violence directed at minorities, including Dalits and other scheduled castes, and religious minorities such as Muslims in India.
In 2015, Aamir Khan had expressed that he and his wife Kiran Rao are extremely concerned about the rising intolerance in India – particularly under BJP regime – and they might leave the country.
As hate crimes and human rights violations are increasing at an alarming pace in India, a group of journalists and social activists has launched a Web-based interface that will inform about the incidents of violence in real time.
Launched under the banner DOTO or Documentation Of The Oppressed, the platform aims to address all issues related to the “systemic violation of fundamental rights, erosion of constitutional values, and the organization and deployment of hate” in India.
Aamir Khan has not yet jumped into the ugly melee about his role in Mahabharata.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.
