The Portrayal of Islam in America in Bollywood Cinema - Essay Example

?The portrayal of Islam in America Post-9/11 in Bollywood Cinema The mastermind behind 9/11 terror attacks in America has been Osama bin Laden who byreligion is a Muslim. The deeds of this terrorist has downgraded the reputation of the Muslim community. Due to this, post 9/11 attacks every Muslim individual is looked upon suspiciously and considered to be a terrorist in United States. After such an incidents Bollywood cinema has released a number of movies stressing upon a single Muslim individual or the entire community and his miserable life in United States after the 9/11 terror attacks (Balraj). Through the movies it has conveyed the message that all Muslims are necessarily not terrorists as they are considered to be so. Some of them have also highlighted the cause of the US- Iraq war and related matters for initiating such terror attacks. India is reportedly known to produce more films relating to such matter compared to any other countries (Altheide, 135). The conveyed message clearly is same for these kinds of movies. Thus all individuals belonging to Islam religion should not be looked upon as terrorists and tortured or killed. The paper intends to support such an argument by making a thematic analysis of some of the well known Bollywood movies picturized upon portrayal of Islam in America after the 9/11 terror attacks. The violence and bloodshed associated with 9/11 terror attacks that caused the collapse of World Trade Center was so huge that many would find it really difficult to describe. Post 9/11 attacks Arabian nationality and Islam religion have become a historical phenomenon. Media particularly Bollywood cinema has always considered portrayal of Muslims as a topic of great interest. Using the mass influential power of media Bollywood has taken this opportunity to make cinemas representing the Islamic followers above the villains or ‘bad guys’ and has claimed for accepting the innocence of ordinary followers of Islam (Balraj). Some of the cinemas on such a theme are ‘My Name in Khan’, ‘New York’, ‘Kurbaan’ and ‘Tere Bin Laden’. Bollywood Cinema and Portrayal of Islam in America The movie ‘My Name Is Khan’ directed by Karan Johar is a story of a Muslim guy named Rizwan Khan who has experienced struggles right from his childhood for his disabilities and mainly because of his identity of following the Islam religion. His journey for meeting the president has been highlighted in the movie where he encounters misbehavior and strip checking on account of being a Muslim. ‘My Name is Khan and I am not a terrorist’ has been the tagline of the movie appealing to the Americans to accept the innocence of followers of Islam. The theme of acceptance of innocence for the Muslims has been established in this movie at the tremendous torture and losses that Islamic people have suffered post 9/11 terror attacks. The terror incident had developed a kind of hatred for the people with Islam religion but such an anti Muslim violence hurting hundreds of innocent people have been claimed as a complete senseless act (Dhume). The overreaction of the Americans after the 9/11 terror attacks has been shown in another Bollywood movie ‘New York’ released in 2009 under the banner of Yash Raj Films. The torture to the innocents simply because of being followers of Islam religion has been the base of the storyline. It is true that Americans after these terror attacks have haunted hundreds of Muslim lives in the name of investigation. The torture and misbehavior in jail that has been portrayed against Islam followers in this Bollywood is intolerable even on television screen. It is a tragedy that hundreds of innocent Muslim people actually tolerated all this during conviction. Bollywood cinema has been able to gather sympathy for the Muslim people through such touching and tragic movies. Mass opinion has been in favor of the fact that treatment of Islam and their followers after such terror attacks is a national shame for Americans. The movies highlighting the political views on terrorism have always ranked as the favorite subjects for Bollywood movies. Most of the recent Bollywood movies showcase international conspiracy plotted against a particular country (Altheide, 135). Such a movie carrying the similar theme has been Kurbaan directed by Karan Johar. The story revolves around a Pakistani terrorist named Ehsaan Khan who comes to America with his wife in disguise of a professor and later plots a terror attack on the country. The movie is developed upon the fundamentals of Islam. The Islamic terrorists have been citing the reference of their religion behind their miserable actions and deeds. They have frequently used the word ‘jihad’ to refer to the terror attacks. Post terror attacks Americans have categorized the religion of Islam and its followers as the ‘other’ and the bad ones without even differentiating between the good and the evil. The Bollywood movies released in the period post 9/11 has constantly appealed or requested Americans and the masses to judge a person on the basis of good or evil and not by Muslim or non Muslim. The protests against the American overreaction and torture of Islam has also come up in the form of comedy and with lots of hilarious and crazy stuffs as can be seen in the case of the Bollywood movie Tere Bin Laden directed by Abhishek Sharma. The story is a funny one where an attempt has been made to inject Osama’s character into a Punjabi chicken farmer and consequently his reactions have been captured. Post 9/11 Americans have refused to accept even the Muslims who have been Americans by birth. After the terror attacks any immigrant with a Muslim background and following Islam are considered as immigrants entering United States with the intention of harming the country and hurting its people. Any individual following Islam is looked upon as a threat to the well being of the country. Such a phenomenon is visible in American television shows containing Muslim characters (Hussain). Bollywood cinema has even captured such a phenomenon. The central characters of the mentioned movies have all posed as Americans by birth or simply residing there. Such a refusal and neglect from the American society and the torture post 9/11 attacks have also developed a feeling of hatred within the American Muslims and they are against the country and they are shown as revolting against the system or on behalf of their insult. But such a discrimination is prohibited by the very own constitution of U.S. The governmental agencies of United States are not allowed to collect data containing affiliations of religion (McCloud). This proves that minority classes like Muslims should be given full rights and protections as citizens if they are dwelling as legal citizens in America. But post 9/11 terror attacks this has no more been the case. Conclusion Post 9/11 terror attacks in America the life the Islam followers dwelling there have become miserable. They are looked upon suspiciously by Americans as bad people and are devoid of citizens’ rights and protection. Such a phenomenon has been captured by Bollywood cinema which has been a lot of movies on such a topic after the 9/11 terror attacks. The movies have showcased either the torture of Islam after the terror attacks or their sufferings or losses after the terror attacks. Americans are found to be overreacting on the 9/11 issue and have tortured the innocent Muslims inhumanly during convictions. The Islamic followers have become traumatized and are also showcased as revolting against the Americans. Through release of a couple of movies on a similar theme Bollywood cinema has conveyed the message to masses that all Muslims should not be looked upon as terrorists and appealed to American to accept the innocence of the ordinary followers of Islam. References: 1. Altheide, David L. Terror post 9/11 and the media, New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2009 2. Balraj, Belinda Marie, ““My name is Khan and I am not a Terrorist”: Representation of Muslims in ‘My name is Khan’”, Journal of Language and Culture, (2011), 2.6, 91-95, January 4, 2012 from: http://www.academicjournals.org/jlc/PDF/pdf2011/June/Balraj%20pdf.pdf 3. Dhume, Sadanand, “The Accidental Terrorist”, The WallStreet Journal, (2010), January 4, 2012 from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704613204575066153915717896.html 4. Hussain, Amir, “(Re)presenting: Muslims on North American television”, Contemporary Islam, (2009), 4, 55-75, January 4, 2012 from: http://www.mendeley.com/research/representing-muslims-on-north-american-television/ 5. Kurbaan (2009) 6. McCloud, Aminah, “Transnational Muslims in American Society”, International Journal of Middle East Studies, (2010), 39.95, 176 7. Johar, Karan (director), My Name is Khan, Fox Pictures, 2010 8. Khan, Kabir, New York, Yash Raj Films, 2009 9. Sharma, Abhishek, Tere Bin Laden Walkwater Media, 2010 Read More