Fillum Forum

Mythic Realism — the Hegemonic Form: discussing Hindi Popular Cinema and Muslim Representation

In this blog forum I will examine some of the audience reactions to Hindi cinema and more particularly how this cinema has addressed members of the subcontinent’s largest minority: the Muslim community.  Studies on this cinema have not dealt with "communalism" the fundamental, founding discourse of the nation. Quietude on the part of most scholars of Hindi Cinema on this subject is an oversight and a neglect to address inter-faith relations. This silence extends to the discussions of films in chat rooms and discussion boards of the Hindi cinema and I hope to draw upon audience attitudes from this international, virtual community of Bollywood fans. As Hindi cinema became established in the early years of nationhood some national leaders and film makers  recognised the political value in cinema.  The project of nationalism emphasised  and developed a film form that privileged Hindu identity through the use of mythic stories. Muslims were cast as the “outsider”, the miscreant, or as violent gangsters, in short as anti-national, especially in the low budget ‘B’ grade films, despite the obvious contradictions of Muslim stars playing Hindu heroes.  Not only are Muslim actors conspicuous, a large part of the talent for productions are Muslims, such as scriptwriters, musicians and lyricists. I have visited a few chat sites and ther virtual forums where film and stars are discussed and noticed that the comments tend to emphasise the sexuality of the stars, and discussions are quite superficial, without any attempt to broach controversial political issues. Can this mean that hegemony has been achieved? Are members of the audience being drawn into accepting a particular description of Indian nationality?

There are repercussions of this portrayal that affect public perceptions of the minority community and can help to influence them towards a parochial politics. Repetition of these themes can incite violence. It is with a view to understanding the causes for continuing communal animosity that this blog draws attention to the politics of Muslim representation in Hindi cinema. This post makes reference to a ‘B’ grade film Angaar (1992 Director K. Shashilal Nair) as an example of a film with a narrow view of Indianness, and the particular mythic form that has developed to propel this view of the ideal subject. Made prior to a series of riots following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya it is a story of a mythic hero who survives all the trials of a Ravanna with the help of his saffron goddess.

This forum will introduce us to a contextual approach to understanding cinema and its contemporaneous history, and how its mythic narratives raise issues regarding inclusion and exclusion from the nation. I argue that this sense of “other” as represented in cinema is one of the factors contributing to the denial of identity for Muslims with the nation, and a reason for continuing violence between Hindus and Muslims.

I invite comments on the films, suggestions of other films that have a similar bias, any other relevant discussion and critique of my ideas posted here. Please refrain from profanities even though the subject can stimulate these in your perception. This is open for comment for a short while.  Soon I will be posting a Filmography, films with a Muslim theme or a Muslim character, I would like you to suggest additions to this list, perhaps discuss or give a synopsis of these films.

 

Films with a Muslim theme or character from Bollywood till 2000

Please add any more films with the same theme or character before or after 2000 in your comments and I will add them to this list.  

 
Abbas, K.A. (1959). Char Dil Char Rahen.

Akbar, Khalid. (1981). Ladies Tailor.

Akhtar. (2004). Lakshya.

Amrohi, Kamal. (1949). Mahal.
________. (1971). Pakeezah.
________. (1983). Razia Sultan.

Anand, Chetan (1964). Haqeeqat.
________ (1966). Aakhri Khat.

Anand, Dev (1970). Prem Pujari.

Anand, Mukul. (1986). Sultanat.
________. (1992). Khuddah Gawah.

Anand, Vijay (1965). Guide.

Asif, K. (1960). Mughal-E-Azam.
_______(1986). Love and God.

B.R.Chopra. (1985). Tawaif.
_______. (1954). Chandni Chowk.
_______. (1982). NikaahB.R.Ishara.
_______. (1972). Ek Nazar.

Chopra, Aditya (1959). Dhool Ka Phool.
_______ (1995). Dilwale Dhulaniya Le Jayenge.
Chopra, Vidhu Vinod. (2000). Mission Kashmir.

Chopra, Yash (1975). Deewar.
________. (1997). Dil to Pagal Hai.
________. (2003). Veer Zaara.

Dave, Ravindra. (1959). Guest House.

Desai, Manmohan (1960). Chhalia.
________ (1977). Amar, Akhbar and Anthony.
________ (1983). Coolie.

Devendra. (1961). Razia Sultan.

Dutt, Guru. (1957). Pyaasa.
________ (1959). Kaagaz Ke Phool.

Dwivedi, Chandraprakash. (2002). Pinjar.

Engineer, Noshir (1957). Diler Daku.
________ (1965). Noor Mahal.

G.P.Sippy. (1971). Andaz.

Ghai, Subhash (1983). Hero.
________ (1993). Khalnayak.

Gulzar (1971). Mere Apne.

Gupta, Hemen (1961). Kabuliwala.

J.P.Dutta (1989). Hathyar.
________(2000). Refugee.

Jaswantlal, Nandlal (1953). Anarkali.

Kapoor, Randhir. (1999). Henna.

Kardar, A.R. (1949). Dil Lagi.

Khan, Mansoor. (1988). Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.

Khan, Sanjay. (1980). Abdullah.

Kumar, Amar (1955). Garam Coat.

Kumar, Krishna (1949). Kaneez.

Kumar, Vinod. (1968). Mere Hazoor.

Mathan, John Mathew. (1999). Sarfarosh.

Mehboob. (1959). Mother India.

Mehra, Prakash (1973). Zanjeer.
________ (1978). Maqqadar Ka Sikander.

Mehra, Umesh. (1980). Alibaba Aur 40 Chor.

Mirza, Saeed (1995). Naseem.
Modi, Sohrab (1954). Mirza Ghalib
________ (1957). Nausherwan-E-Adil.

Mohammed, Khaled. (1999). Fiza.

Mukerji, Ram. (1964). Leader.

Mukherjee, Prabhat (1972). Shayar-E-Kashmir.

Mukherjee, Subodh (1961). Junglee.

N.Chandra (1985). Ankush.
________ (1988). Tezaab.

Nair, Shashilal. K. (1992). Angaar.

P.L.Santoshi. (1960). Barsaat Ki Raat.

Ratnam, Mani. (1995). Bombay.
________ (1998). Dil Se.
________ (1998). Roja.

Rawail, H.S (1976). Laila Majnu
________ (1963). Mere Mehboob.
________ (1971). Mehboob Ki Mehendi.

Sadiq, M. (1960). Chaudvi Ka Chand.
________ (1963). Taj Mahal
________ (1967). Bahu Begum.

Sagar, Ramanand. (1968). Arzoo.

Samantha, Shakti (1964). Kashmir Ki Kali.

Samar, Sabiha. (2004). Khamosh Pani.

Sharma, Anil. (2001). Gadar.

Singh, A. Bhim. (1968). Aadmi.

Sippy, Ramesh (1975). Sholay.

Tak, Saawan Kumar. (1991). Sanam Bewafaa.
________ (1992). Bewaffa Se Waffa.
________ (1997). Salma Pe Dil Lag Gayi.

Thakur, Anant. (1956). Chori Chori.

Verma, Ramgopal. (1998). Satya.

Wadia, Homi (1956). Hatimtai.