[Prev][Next][Index]
Muslims flimsy objections to 'Bombay' scenes
-
To: Ajay Shah (ajay@mercury.aichem.arizona.edu)
-
Subject: Muslims flimsy objections to 'Bombay' scenes
-
From: "Dinesh Agrawal" <DXA4@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
-
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 95 12:05 EDT
-
From ajay@mercury.aichem.arizona.edu Thu Apr 20 13: 48:26 1995
-
Resent-Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 10:54:56 -0700 (MST)
-
Resent-From: Ajay Shah <ajay@mercury.aichem.arizona.edu>
-
Resent-Message-Id: <Pine.ULT.3.90.950420105456.28515A@mercury.aichem.arizona.edu>
-
Resent-Subject: Resent mail....
-
Resent-To: editor <editor@rbhatnagar.ececs.uc.edu>
Subject: Muslims flimsy objections to 'Bombay' scenes
Times of India, April 9, 1995
Bombay: A section of Muslims here have objected to a number of scenes in Mani
Ratnam's film Bombay whose release was deferred by a week by the authorities
yesterday.
A number of Muslim leaders were shown the film at a special screening at
New Excelsior theatre on Thursday. According to Muslim League corporator
Yusuf Abrahani, who has emerged as a spokesman of the protestors, the following
scenes are anti-Islamic:
*While escaping from her house to meet her lover in Bombay, who is a Hindu,
the heroine, a Muslim girl (played by Manisha Koirala), takes a copy of the
Koran with her while in the background a Koranic verse which says, "Allah
show me the correct path..." is chanted. This gives the impression that she
is following the correct path and her act of falling in love with a non-Muslim
has religious sanction.
*In a shot showing a procession of Hindus, a placard demands Tala Kholo (open
the locks). This is an obvious reference to the removal of locks on the
Babri masjid.
*The hero's father who is a Hindu, flings money at the heroine's father, who
is a brick manufacturer and asks him to make bricks with Ram inscribed on them.
*There is a shot of the Babri masjid. Even though its demolition is not shown,
newspaper clippings carrying news about the demolition are shown while the
sound track makes it clear that the structure is being demolished.
*While the purdah-clad heroine runs after the Hindu hero, her veil gets entang-
led in a tree branch. She discards the purdah and joins her lover. This gives
the impression that the purdah is a symbol of slavery and that the heroine
is liberating herself by discarding it.
*After marrying her lover, the lover gives birth to twins and says that the
children are two gods.
*The shots of riots give the impression that the Muslims are the aggressors.
In this context, Mr Abrahani referred to the incidents relating to the
killings of mathadi workers and the Radhabai chawl incident in which a
Hindu family was burnt alive.
*There are also dialogues which showed Muslims in bad light.
When contacted, the film's producer S. Shriram told the TOI, "Our aim was
only to promote communal harmony. It is sad that its message is being mis-
understood."
Asked why there are several allusions in the film to real incidents which
took place during the riots in Bombay, he replied: "We have blended a few
facts with fiction. A totally fictionalised account would have had little
meaning."
Mr Shriram said the film was being well received in all the southern states.
There was some problem in Hydrabad. However, the film would be screened in
that city also shortly since the courts had given a favourable verdict
yesterday, he added.
