Bollywood’s monster: The Muslim socials
Irrespective of good or bad, we deserve the lives we live and similarly, we deserve our films too. Our times inspire our cinema and it is meant to depict the joys or trouble we endure. However, such is the power of the flickering image that for decades now, some things have become much more than imaginary. Bollywood is guilty of many myths. In its world, where a darkened room and three hours is all it takes to make the impossible come true, many myths have become half-truths. Many of them, like bulletproof vests being magical force-fields that can repel just about anything, are ridiculous but some are dangerous enough and have altered the way we look at things.
Considering the wholesome entertainment aspect of Hindi films, the lines dividing genres often blur but some escape this demarcation. If there were ever one genre that never lost its identity over the decades, it would have to be the ‘Muslim social.’ Bollywood’s Muslim socials started with Mehboob’s Najma (1943), a film that unknowingly ended up causing more harm than help to the very genre that it would create. The film laid great stress on the aspect of development, modern thought and education amongst the Muslim community but its celebration of Muslim etiquette and culture is what ended up filtering through. Close on Najma’s heels many films like Barsaat Ki Raat (1960), Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960), Mere Mehboob (1963) and Bahu Begum (1967) enjoyed great success. There was always an element of a hidden social message in these films, but the greater the success this genre enjoyed, the further it went from the truth. The imagery would be filled with brilliant palaces; birds fluttering around the fountains in opulent gardens; the air would be filled with ittar and there would be poetry flowing from every possible outlet; the men would be only be seen in sherwanis enjoying only a sher more than a paan; the women would adorn burqas or costumes heavier than gold and there was nothing to be unhappy about. The films went on celebrate the whole nawabi culture along with the ghazals, qawwalis and sher-o-shayari to such an extent that it seemed the world depicted by these films wasn’t real.
Additionally, what worked against the Muslim socials and forced these films to exist in a parallel universe were the nuances. Regardless of the era these films depicted, everyone only said ‘Subhan Allah’ or ‘Masha’Allah’ and added a ‘Miyan’ to every sentence. If the 1950s and 1960s saw the genre showcase only the elite or upper class Muslim families, the 1970s paved the path for the so called ‘New-age Muslim socials’ with films like Dastak (1970) and Garam Hawa (1973). After reaching it’s zenith in Kamaal Amrohi’s Pakeezah (1972), the genre now moved out of the havelis and into the real world where Muslims were more than just well-dressed people who spoke beautifully. Dastak showed Hamid and Salma, a young couple, coming to terms with the daily trauma of knocks on their door that sought the previous occupant – a famous mujrewali and Garam Hawa explored the dilemma of the Mirza divided between continuing to stay back or moving to Pakistan post the partition. Films like Bazaar (1982), about the plight of young Muslim girls sold off by hard-pressed parents and Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro (1989), about the aimlessness of lower-class urban Muslim youth would continue to carry on the genre but harm done by an entire generation of films before them couldn’t be undone. The nuances of yore had now transformed into stereotypes. B.R. Chopra’s Nikah (1982), replete with the lilting songs and charming moments, might have momentarily revived the genre but it gave a notion that most Muslim men just looked forward to saying Talak, Talak, Talak and carrying on with life.
Many a times perceptions are a result of convenience and the two together are extremely essential to fuel artistic liberty. A momentary relief from the trials of life is reason enough for an artist to destroy myths or create new ones. Javed Akhtar once famously noted that ‘the idea of Jehangir falling in love with her (Anarkali) and creating a rift between father and son is a story that was created by an Urdu playwright called Imtiaz Ali Taj.’ The writer creation isn’t a myth as big as the one that became a greater truth. Akbar couldn’t converse in Persian, which was the lingua franca during his time, but there is no way that a film like Mughal-e-Azam (1960) would have Akbar speak unlike the emperor he was. More importantly Urdu wasn’t developed at that time and Akbar having grown up in Northern India could very well be conversing in Haryanvi or Bhojpuri but to see Prithviraj Kapoor with that dialect would be unimaginable. If the world of Bollywood were to be believed, unless a Muslim speaks like a shayar there is no reason to make him a Muslim (Arbaaz Khan in Shootout at Lokhandwala); every South Indian must eat messily with their hands and for authenticity they must include curd in every thing (Shahrukh Khan in Ra.One), every Sardar must be over-the-top (Sunny Deol in half a dozen films), every Pathan must say ‘wallah‘ the moment they open their mouth, every Parsi must be dim enough for the entire three minutes of their screen time. Here, at least Bollywood is able to maintain consistency.
Born a cinephile and a close observer of society, the author is an award-winning documentary filmmaker/writer. He is a regular contributor to leading Indian publications and is currently working on his first book. Find out more about him here and follow him @gchintamani
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
why the muslim socials of pakistan never came up with nice and good movies like indian social muslims….
Well I felt very happy to see that Dawn has so good outreach in India and throughout the world. I fully agree with the writer that Bollywood inappropriately associated in permanently allotting certain expressions to certain communities which were divorced from reality. At the same time, apart from Art or Family movies, most of the Bollywood films have been responsible for promoting and propagating obscenity and shamelessness which even liberal Hindu brothers in India find very difficult to digest. Indian drama otherwise promotes family and cultural values whereas movies while crossing all limits of showing semi naked women, free and extra marital sex, flirt as the first motive of every youth have only introduced sexual corruption and sexual lawlessness in both Indian and Pakistani societies as their outreach is same on both sides of border. Taray Zameen Pur, Three Idiots, etc. type movies give impetus to a society to rethink and realign its outdated concepts but what message could be given by Houseful Two or Rowdy Rathore, etc. except entertainment which only brings sexual chaos and frustration in a society whether that be a dominant Hindu, Muslim or a Christian society.
Most of the Indian movies released for the last 20 years are anti-Muslims either they show (a) how Muslims are treating Hindus so badly like Kala Pani (b) cheating Hindu women (c) gundas and criminals (d) spoiled people (f) some chamchas (poor comedians) (g) treating their Muslims women so badly (h) tyrants etc. They do not project Muslims like they projected a Muslim in the movie Solay. The sad part is the Pakistanis love Indian movies and I have seen they cannot live without these movies. If that was the case then why they wanted to a separate country. I think the civilized people should ask the Bollywood to stop these stereotype anti-Muslim movies because it is hurting the basic foundation of our unity in India.
Man! So many Indians read Dawn. I am from India and have been reading Dawn for several years now. Good writers and good articles.
'Muslim social' as shown in many old movies probably is a dead genre now. WHo would want to watch a Sherwani clad guy who rambles about love in chaste Urdu that no Muslim will understand without ENglish/Hindi Subtitles?
Some stereotypes –
kaamwali bai is always marathi.
rich families / business owners are khanna/ kapoor/ khurana
hero is raj/ rahul/ karan
heroine is nisha/ priya
a hero or heroine will never belong to states like orissa, nagaland, mizoram, manipur etc.
agreed Hero will represent UP o r Punjabi and heroine will be from bengalie or UP or punjabii reference. No gujarti relation will ever be shown for instance.
cmon,,bollywood is buiness,,,we all have every kinda individuals ,,,first u want to see a come to age muslim on screen,,,but than u wil not see anything to recognize him or her other than the characters name,,,,when its all about dipicting the culture , u got to show values attached to it,,,,whats the fun of showing a muslim girl in bikni or a muslim boy in western casual drinking with frnd in a polished flat , later on u only would come out wth another article of how bad the cultures is shown…i have many muslim frnds but honestly,,in a group u can not identify who is is muslim or a non muslim ,,THATS THE BEAUTY BEING A HUMAN FIRST…
Bollywood owes almost everything to the Muslims hero/heroines actor/actresses of black & white and color cinema.
How come the author forgot the legendry characters of Kabuliwala (played by Balraj Sahni in movie Kabuliwala), Halakoo Khan( Played by Pran), Rustam-e- Soharab( played by Prithiviraj Kapoor and Prem Nath), Sher Khan (played by Pran in Zanzeer)…the list is endless.
In those black and white times the Pathan's character was always shown as brave and pivotal, quite often played by greats Jayant (Amjad Khan's father) or Jeevan or Pran.
All the greatest hero/ heroines were Muslims ( Meena Kumari, Madhu Bala, Vijayanti Mala, Saira Baano, Dilip Kumar, Feroz Khan, Sanjay Khan, Jayant, Ajit Khan, Waheeda Rehman, Surayia (?)…. )
And in today's time also the Bollywood is ruled by Khans (Shahrukh, Salman, Sail Ali khan).
Vaijanti Mala was not muslim, she is a tamil brahmin.
The only thing that probably comes close to "realism" in Bollywood films is the depiction of local goons and gangs being used by corrupt politicians …..or the police using their powers in favor of the rich against the weak and suppressed aam aadmi……..rest all is rubbish!!
Bollywood makes films. It does not produce Cinema Art. The rare exceptions would be Pather Panchali, Jalsa Ghar of Satyajit Rai. Compared with the likes of actors like Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier, Burt Lancaster, Marlon Brando, Pierre Brasseur, Jean Louis Barreau, Raimu, Toshiro Mifune, Bacchan or Shah Ruk Khan – referred to as legends, or kings in the Indian media – are just so-so actors. Bollywood is anti-intellectual, It has no literary worth. It even has a low idea of entertainment. It thrives in a captive market.
The author may ponder on this: the book on the effect of Partition and of Muslim League politics on the film world of Bombay and Calcutta has not yet been written. In particular the lives of those who left for pakistan and for East Pakistan. A chapter on the burning of the New Theatres studio would make interesting reading.
Sir, Bollywood these days is coming with some good stuff. This is a recent phenomemon.
Your comparison of western actors with bollywood is misplaced. Actors should be seen only in their cultural context.
I agree with Ram. It's fashionable to compare actors from different schools of film-making and even from different generations of films, but it is an excercise in fultility. You will not compare Chinese opera actors with Kathakali dancers, even if they were telling the same story. A moving story interspersed with songs will appear ludicrous to an audience used to Western cinema, but will appeal to an Indian audience. It's not because Indian viewers are dumb. It's just another school of movie appreciation. I think people jump to dissing Hindi movies because the majority of movies made do not appeal to the intellect to either school of viewers. Sometimes an work of art can just be BAD to anybody viewing it.
Stereotyping exists in every place of the society….and Cinema is just a extension of society….
I dont know why author is looking only at bollywood movies.Lets take Hollywood movies..
1.In a horror movie,a black guy will be friends with main character and talks crude language and one of the 1st one to die
2.All German officers are built like a wrestler with a totally menacing look on the face.
3.Any Chinese guy or girl shown in the film is an accomplished martial arts expert who will reveal it only at critical times.
4.There are only ONE kind of Muslims according to Hollywood-BEARDED TERRORISTS.
5.Quite recently,they feature indians…They are all nerds.
6.Anyone speaking in Russian accent is a spy.
7.Big bosomed blondes always plot against the heroine of the film.
There is a mojor shift in Bollywood in the depiction of Muslims. Upto to the late 1980's, Muslims were depicted as law abiding and patriotic Indians. But after the serial Bombay blasts followed by several Islamic terrorists attacks in the following years the trend from the 1990's shows Muslims as gangsters, terror accomplice and terrorists. The Muslims in India have always been laden with partition guilt to which has been added the guilt of terrorism. The Bollywood has been realistic at least on this count to correctly depict the non Muslim perception of Muslims.
And what about 'Aasman Mahal' directed by K. A. Abbas, where the Nawab's (Prithviraj Kapoor) son becomes a motor mechanic. The nawab is in decline but cannot come to terms with Independent India and the loss of Nawabi. He keeps on searching for a hidden treasure in the haveli amidst the noise of the nearby car Garage where his son works as a car mechanic. The movie had no muslim stereotypes mentioned by the author. Worth seeing.
Cinema is for entertainment only. We want films which entertain "us" for the money spent and not
for some directors artistic films which may be satisfying for him only. We do not want "our" money
to be spent to see some movie and come out crying and the whole day going for a six.
Brilliantly written.
Films reflect society in which we live. The glamour in them is to make money.The basic truth remains same which we confront in our daily life. Some time truth is true bitter to swallow so it is sugar coated in songs,music and dance.The real message behind this glamour remains stark which can not be denied.
@Mr. Ally
Yes. Films do reflect. my question is why should I see something which I come face to face day in and day out?
Rather I would prefer a film which is far from all that I see in my normal life which makes my day.
@Ally
To see the society in which we live, I would suggest you to watch BR Chopras Mahabharat.
It has shrewdness(Krishna) cunning(Duryodhan) Dosti(Duryodhana-Karna),Kusti(duryodhana-Bhima)
slavery(draupadi),revenge(again draupadi)gambling(between kaurava-Pandava)Maa ka Pyar(gandhari-Kunti)
bravery(karna)untouchability(drona-ekalavya)missiles(agni-nag),loyalty(Bhisma)secrecy(agnyatavasa of pandavas)
morality(vidura), songs(Mahendrakapoor), screen story-rahi massoom raza.music by rajkamal. Sorry there are no item nos.
I believe that 'Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro' was a movie that showed more of the Muslim social fabric in the present context. Wish you should not have omitted it.
In hollywood the muslim or Arab characters are always villains, the new trend of movies in US, India or even in Paksitan portray the terrorists as muslims. A terrorist must be muslim otherwise it will catch no attention. Where is the positive side of our society…
OK, if thats the case who was shown as terrorists/bad people in Khuda ke Liye and Bol – films from your own land?
VJS- Read before you comment.Fazal said "or even Pakistan".You always ready to jump the gun to critisize….Cool down buddy.
every society have evils.
whats up with Pakis dissing indian movies? True they arent always top notch but to a desi soul its the elixir.
They are called movies and not documentatries. Your dicing of a 100 year tradition is fine but not everyone would agree to it
A word of advice, if I may.
Always ensure there is a gap between a thought and the effort to put it in writing, just so that you can introspect and not make a fool of yourself.
The writer is Gautam Chintamani, an Indian writer/filmmaker based out of Gurgaon.
They have to make films that get sold like you have to write articles that will get printed
The "Muslim social" in most cases are antiquated Nawabs — an their archaic culture of formalities of the past feudal era — in apparel and in customs — unfortunately or fortunately there are no more Nawabs among us — so it is hard for us Muslims to relate with a Muslim social made in Bollywood or in Pakistan.