‘Farhana’ Another 'The Kerala Story' – An Islamophobic Film That Draws Wrath From The Islamic Organizations In Tamil Nadu
By Syed Ali Mujtaba, New Age Islam
17 May 2023
On the heels of the movie 'The Kerala Story' '
another movie called “Farhana” is creating controversy in Tamil Nadu.
The film which is centred on a Muslim Woman has drawn wrath from the Islamic
Organizations in the state.
The Indian National League (INL) has termed the film
"anti-Islamic" and alleged that it portrayed the Muslim community in
a particular way. Indian National League Leader Tada J Abdul Rahim has filed a
complaint against the film with Chennai Police Commissioner to ban the film.
‘The teaser of the movie depicts a Muslim woman who does sex
work across the world wearing a burqa. It is an insult to Islamic culture by
the virulent Hindutva politics,’ the Indian National League leader said in his
complaint.
The heat of the Muslim protest is so ferocious that Police
Commissioner Shankar Jiwal has to deploy a large number of police forces
outside the home of its actress Aishwarya Rajesh who has essayed the role of
“Farhana” in the movie.
Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam leader M.H Jawahirullah
while opposing the film said that the film ‘Farhana’ is not only an insult to
Muslim women but to the entire women community in the country.
A protest was held by the Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam party
near the old bus stand in Tiruvarur district.
In the wake of large-scale protests, some theatres have announced to
cancel the screening of the movie in Tamil Nadu.
Story Line: Farhana, is a young married Muslim woman who
defies her conservative father and starts working at a call centre to
supplement her family income. She is moved to a new department in her office
with better incentives. Till then she did not realize that her new job is to do
phone sex chat. She was in shock and discomfort to do such a job. But
ultimately due to her economic condition at home, she prefers to do the job. There she strikes up an unlikely friendship
with one of her callers and gradually develops a connection with him who seeks
companionship and conversation with her. The Caller turns out to be an
obsessive, predatory man.
That’s why the movie ‘Farhana’ is caught up in
controversy. The main objection is because of a very particular plot point as
the film brings in a Muslim woman to do the sex talk.
Why the scriptwriter has brought this angle to his story?
Isn’t it the brainchild of a psychologically constipated person who finds evil in
everything that is Muslim? The same story could have been zeroed on Iyer or
Iyengar women but why a Muslim protagonist is chosen for this job?
For the answer one needs to go in for a flashback into the
Hindi cinema of the sixties and seventies when all the vamps roles were
reserved for Christian women. The
seductress buxom beauties wearing 'cross' and with low necklines and micro mini
skirts were demolished as fallen women. This trend is now taking a turn against
Muslim women because of Hindutva politics ruling the roost in the country.
Those who have scripted this story may have taken a cue from the movie Kashmir
file, that minted cores at the box office. These days anti Muslim movie is a
huge grosser due to the artificially created atmosphere by the ‘Hindutva’ forces in the country.
The makers of the film have issued a press release saying
that "Farhana” is not against any religion or community. It has been duly
censored by the government."
The film is produced by Dream Warrior Pictures. It is directed
by Nelson Venkatesan. It stars Aishwarya
Rajesh and Anumol among others. The movie is set up in Triplicane, a
Muslim-dominated locality in Chennai, which is the earliest Muslim settlement
in Madras.
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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-politics/farhana-kerala-story-wrath-islamic/d/129790
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