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97
Portrayal of Muslims in the Bollywood Movies
Abid Zafar
Maria Amjad
Abstract
The objective of this study is to examine the portrayal of Muslims in Bollywood movies
from 2009-2013. Muslims are being stereotyped with negative characters since 9/11,
through Bollywood movies. As course of time, these movies have been started to
misrepresent Muslims, not only in a severe manner but also to a large extent. This negative
portrayal of Muslims in these movies has been raised sharply since Mumbai attacks of
26/11. Now, Bollywood continuously portray non-Indian Muslims and some time Indian
Muslims adverse to society. To many extent Muslims are being portrayed as disloyal,
adverse, cruel, evil, terrorist, distrustful and anti-national sort of person. This film industry
has seen a huge growth during last decade or so and having a significant global penetration
with large international audience. Popular superstars mostly Muslims are casted in anti-
Islam movies and have strong effects on viewer’s minds. This study is being performed to
systematically discover that how and to what extent Bollywood is portraying the Muslims’
image. This research is based on content analysis of ten Bollywood movies and 90 Muslim
characters are selected from these movies. Eleven categories are formulated to justify the
hypothesis. Framing theory is used to analyze the media contents. Coding sheet has been
formed which consists of three slants positive, negative and neutral to check the content
and to obtain the result statistically. The overall findings reveal that 24.66% Muslim
characters are positively portrayed, 31.81% are neutral and 43.23% are negatively
represented. Those Muslim characters that are negatively portrayed are sometimes
conservative and sometimes modern but positive Muslim character is always portrayed as
modern. The results demonstrate that Bollywood is setting agenda to misrepresent the
image of Muslims and Islam not only in India but all over the world.
Key Words: Muslim, Islam, Bollywood Movies, 26/11
Introduction
The Muslim world is approximately one fifth of the world population. Its politics,
economics, and culture play a very important role at the world stage.
1
The 9/11 attacks are
considered as the most important turning point for Arabs. The responsibility of these
attacks was laid upon to Muslims. They were presented as terrorists, extremists, suspicious
and dangerous people by the international media. The aftermath of 9/11 also brought an
alteration in portrayal regarding Muslims in Hollywood as compare to prior 9/11. The
Image of Muslims and Islam is no longer as unproblematic as they used to be and this is
highly related to the role of 9/11 violent attacks.
2
Islam was misrepresented and portrayed
Researcher, Centre for Research on Islam and Global Media, Department of Media Studies,
International Islamic University (IIU), Islamabad, Pakistan
M.Phil. Scholar, International Islamic University (IIU), Islamabad, Pakistan
1
Mohammed, Javed. "Muslim cinema: An introduction." My Favorite Review: Changing The
World One Story at A Time(2010): 1-20.
2
Elouardaoui, Ouidyane. "Arabs in Post-9/11 Hollywood Films: a Move towards a More Realistic
Depiction?." (2011).
Portrayal of Muslims in the Bollywood Movies
98
as not a religion of peace but as a religion of terror and terrorism. After 9/11, 75% of media
coverage in West and America was about Islam and almost 60 percent of the media content
was negative.
3
Following the footprints of Hollywood, Bollywood also exploit the character of
Muslims immensely by portraying them as terrorists. Generally, many movies were made
on this subject to portray the Muslims as villain and being presented as extremists, terrorists
and dangerous people not only for India but for the whole world. In Bollywood, Muslims
are shown as traitors, terrorists, disloyal, and cruel people.
4
Muslims have been portrayed negatively in Bollywood since 9/11. But this trend
incalculably increased after 26/11 attacks.
5
After that incident, Muslims are stared as
suspicious people and depicting as terrorists and adversary for society in Indian media
especially in Bollywood movies. After the incident of 26/11, Bollywood Movies
consistently trying to inject the people against Islam and Muslims and to make this more
effective it is using super stars in anti-Islam movies. Not only super stars but Muslims super
stars are also being used by Bollywood in portraying Muslims adversary for society.
6
The main purpose of conducting this study is to examine the portrayal of Islam
and Muslims in Bollywood. A considerable depiction of Muslims and Islam is observed in
Bollywood movies and researchers desire to explore the nature and extent of this
representation of Islam and Muslims in Bollywood, especially after the incident of 26/11.
It is aimed to examine the percentage of positivity and negativity in Muslim characters in
Bollywood to check whether Muslims and Islam are actually portrayed in a negative or
supplementary manner or it’s just a perception. The intention is to determine that which
sorts of rudiments Bollywood uses to misrepresent Islam and Muslims. This study
examines the construction and stereotyping of Muslims in Bollywood Movies by applying
the emphasis framing technique of Semetko for analyzing the Muslim characters which are
mostly shown in Bollywood movies.
7
Ten Bollywood Movies have been selected by applying the convenient sampling
technique which are launched after the incident of 26/11 to examine the representation of
Islam and Muslims. Indian movies have great viewership not only in Asia but also in
western and African continents.
8
It is important to check the portrayal of Islam and
Muslims in Bollywood Movies because Muslim countries do not have strong film
industries to present their actual image or religion.
9
Both Quantitative and qualitative methods of content analysis are used in this
study to examine the portrayal of Islam and Muslims in Bollywood movies. 90 Muslim
3
Sobolewska, Maria, and Sundas Ali. "Who speaks for Muslims? The role of the press in the
creation and reporting of Muslim public opinion polls in the aftermath of London bombings in July
2005." Ethnicities 15, no. 5 (2015): 675-695.
4
(Khan, Portrayal of Muslims in Indian Cinema: A Content Analysis of Movies during (2002-8)
2011)
5
Islam, Maidul. "Imagining Indian Muslims: Looking through the Lens of Bollywood
Cinema." Indian Journal of Human Development 1, no. 2 (2007): 403-422.
6
Mitra, Antara. "All for brownie points!: reappraising the new commercial media and media–
terrorism nexus in the context of the Mumbai attacks of 26/11." Asia Europe Journal 7, no. 3-4
(2009): 433.
7
Semetko, Holli A., and Patti M. Valkenburg. "Framing European politics: A content analysis of
press and television news." Journal of communication 50, no. 2 (2000): 93-109.
8
Rao, Shakuntala. "The globalization of Bollywood: An ethnography of non-elite audiences in
India." The Communication Review 10, no. 1 (2007): 57-76.
9
Mohammed, Javed. "Muslim cinema: An introduction." My Favorite Review: Changing The
World One Story at A Time(2010): 1-20.
Pakistan Journal of Islamic Research Special Edition, 2018
99
characters have been represented in the selected movies. Positivity and negativity of these
characters is checked by applying the emphasis framing technique.
10
Eleven frames have
been used to understand the representation of Muslims in these movies. These frames are
dressing, dialogue, dialect, appearance, body language, activities religious practice,
patriotism, behavior profession and overall view.
Problem Statement
Islam and Muslims are always portrayed negatively in Indian Media more
specifically in the Bollywood movies. This situation becomes worse after the 26/11 attacks.
The study examine the portrayal of Islam and Muslims in Bollywood Movies after 26/11
incidents.
Objective
• To analyze the portrayal of Islam and Muslims in Bollywood movies
Literature Review
Many studies prove that media representation make the identity of specific issues
in public’s mind by conforming information about different cultures and religions.
11
Films
are considered as an important medium to make the specific images of a society or a
community and these images prevail in every society which are transmitted culture to
culture.
12
Muslims can promote their culture and values by using these medium but
unfortunately, they do not have strong film industries to represent their culture.
13
Bollywood has now become the world’s largest film industry in producing films
having international audience.
14
It plays an important role in building public opinion. At
the same time, it becomes a primary source to understand Islam and Muslims at national
and International level.
15
Many Block buster movies of Bollywood are exported to UK,
USA with their subtitle prints. The reviews of Bollywood movies are now circulate in
“New York Times “and “Washington post”.
16
Portrayal of Muslims in Indian movies is more negative than positive. These
movies are considered against the Muslims and try to stereotype Muslims negatively not
only in Indian society but all over the world. Through the effective medium, Bollywood is
demolishing the Image of Islam and Muslims across the globe.
17
10
Semetko, Holli A., and Patti M. Valkenburg. "Framing European politics: A content analysis of
press and television news." Journal of communication 50, no. 2 (2000): 93-109.
11
Oumlil, Kenza. "Arabs and Muslims in Hollywood Breaking Down the Siege." Understanding
Violence (2009)
12
Biagi, Shirley. Media impact: An introduction to mass media. Cengage Learning, 2012.
13
Mohammed, Javed. "Muslim cinema: An introduction." My Favorite Review: Changing The
World One Story at A Time(2010): 1-20.
14
Pillania, Rajesh K. "The Globalization of Indian Hindi Movie Industry." Management
(18544223) 3, no. 2 (2008).
15
Abdalla, Mohamad, and Halim Rane. "The impact of media representations on the understanding
of Islam and attitudes toward Muslims in Queensland." Report prepared by Griffith Islamic
Research Unit, Griffith University, for Multicultural Affairs Queensland, http://www. griffith. edu.
au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/52083/MAQ. pdf (2007).
16
Rao, Shakuntala. "The globalization of Bollywood: An ethnography of non-elite audiences in
India." The Communication Review 10, no. 1 (2007): 57-76.
17
Khan, Muhammad Ashraf, and Syeda Zuria Bokhari. "Portrayal of Muslims in Indian Cinema: A
Content Analysis of Movies during (2002-8)." Pakistan Journal of Islamic Research8 (2011): 1-15.
Portrayal of Muslims in the Bollywood Movies
100
There is a great presence of Muslims in Indian cinemas. First, they were portrayed
as king of Mughal period then as a Qawali singers or side heroes and from 1990’s to
present; the depiction of Muslims is to demonize them by fragmenting Bigotry, hate and
Racism.
18
Leading characters of Muslims in Bollywood are misrepresented as anti-social
characters, terrorists and conservative that relates Muslims identity as villain and as a
terrorist through narration, texts and other behaviors.
19
Significant number of Bollywood films show Muslims as criminals, crooks, and
every day people who cannot be trusted.
20
Muslims are portrayed as anti-national and
outsider whose patriotism is missing by constructing their loyalty only with Islam,
supporting the enemies of the nation across the border.
21
In Hollywood, Muslims are also
scripted as dangerous, uncivilized and pre-modern in American culture.
22
Bollywood not only constructing a specific image of Muslims and Islam but
sometimes it construct and conform different Muslim countries and Nations as it represents
Kashmir as a house of terrorists where Kashmiri Muslims are happy for violence and
Pakistan a Muslim country also represented as a Villain.
23
In most of the movies ISI
symbolizes the role of Villain. These movies directly and indirectly try to show that
Pakistan is a wild, lawless country and supporter of terrorists.
24
In Hollywood, Muslims and Arabs are stereotyped as terrorists by representing
Palestine negatively.
25
Hollywood identifies Arabs as terrorists, using chemical, hijacked
plane and setting of stolen nuclear weapons specifically the Middle Eastern nations such
as Lebanon, the Palestinian territory and Iraq having ethnic backgrounds of Greek,
Pakistani, Israeli, Latino, South Africa, Iranian, Indian and Cuban.
26
Indian media also portray Islamic culture and Muslims identity negatively. They
represent Muslims as adverse people or probably terrorist.
27
Muslims are shown to justify
evil deeds by praying and through religion. British media represent Muslims through their
behaviors, dressings, praying and reciting Quran in mosques by reflecting the negative
images of Muslims. Muslims are the people who always busy in evil activities like bombing
18
Kavoori, Anandam P., and Aswin Punathambekar, eds. Global bollywood. NYU Press, 2008.
19
Islam, Maidul. "Imagining Indian Muslims: Looking through the Lens of Bollywood
Cinema." Indian Journal of Human Development 1, no. 2 (2007): 403-422.
20
Lohia, Yamini. "Anandam P. Kavoori and Aswin Punathambekar (Eds.): Global
Bollywood." International Journal of Communication 4 (2010): 3.
21
Kattarwala, Nafisa. "The portrayal of Islam in the Indian mass media." SVKM’s NMIMS
University paper, Mumbai (2009).
22
Aguayo, Michelle. "Representations of Muslim bodies in the Kingdom: Deconstructing
discourses in Hollywood." Global Media Journal 2, no. 2 (2009): 41-56.
23
Baba, T. A. "Kashmir through Bollywood lenses: A study of selected films post
1989." Unpublished Master’s thesis), Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora,
Jammu & Kashmir, India (2011).
24
Hasan, Khalid. Indian film festival to screen anti-Pakistan films . Daily times , 2004.
25
Oumlil, Kenza. "Arabs and Muslims in Hollywood Breaking Down the Siege." Understanding
Violence (2009): 15.
26
Yin, Tung. "Through a screen darkly: Hollywood as a measure of discrimination against Arabs
and Muslims." Duke FL & Soc. Change 2 (2010): 103.
27
Kazmi, Fareed, and Sanjeev Kumar. "The Politics of Muslim Identity and the Nature of Public
Imagination in India: Media and Films as Potential Determinants." European Journal of Economic
and Political Studies 4, no. 1 (2011): 171-187.
Pakistan Journal of Islamic Research Special Edition, 2018
101
and murdering innocent citizens. Most Queenslanders have negative attitude toward
Muslims due to media misrepresentation about Muslims and Islam.
28
This study examines the portrayal of Islam and Muslims in Bollywood Movies
after the incident of 26/11. It indicates that not only conservative but modern Muslims are
also stereotyped as terrorists and adverse for society in Bollywood movies. Many studies
designate the portrayal of Islam and Muslims in Indian movies as Muslims are adversaries
for society having duel personality and can’t be trusted.
Framing Theory
Framing Theory is applied to realize the media frames and the viewer’s frames to
comprehend the edifices and the consequences on unambiguous issues. Framing is
considered as the addition of Agenda Setting theory. This theory discusses that how a
medium construct a specific issue in a particular way to manipulate the public opinion.
This concept was first introduced by Erving Goffman by designing “Schemata of
Interpretation” in 1974.
29
However, this theory became the part of Communication
Research in 1993.
30
It consists on three rudiments which include language, deliberation and
consideration.
31
Some researchers argue that some time frames are replaced with
representation, script, argument or any other label to avoid the confusion.
32
In present study, frames are replaced with representation or portrayal of Muslims
in Bollywood movies. Bollywood frame Islam and Muslims in a specific eye which reflects
elevated bigotry and hate against Muslims in different Muslims characters such as
bombing, smuggling, killing innocents which demonstrate Muslims as terrible and awful
people. This theory is highly significant to understand the framing of Muslims characters
in these movies. Through this, the researchers observe the ideological causes which highly
affect on Muslims depiction in Bollywood movies.
Research Question
• How Islam and Muslims are portrayed in Bollywood movies?
Methodology
Content analysis research method is used to understand the portrayal of Muslims
and Islam in Bollywood movies which helps to examine media contents directly. In this
research, both qualitative and quantitative phases of content analysis are used. This kind of
combination of two methods is called Triangulation which is possible and a good way to
reap the benefits of both qualitative and quantitative methods.
33
Data is collected from the
Bollywood movies related to Muslims released during 2009-2012. Ten framing categories
28
Ameli, Saied Reza. The British media and Muslim representation: The ideology of demonisation.
Vol. 6. Islamic Human Rights Commission, 2004.
29
Goffman, Erving. Frame analysis: An essay on the organization of experience. Cambridge, MA,
US: Harvard University Press, 1974.
30
Entman, Robert M. "Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm." Journal of
communication 43, no. 4 (1993): 51-58.
31
Fairhurst, Gail Theus, and Robert A. Sarr. The art of framing: Managing the language of
leadership. Vol. 50. Jossey-Bass, 1996.
32
Van Gorp, Baldwin. "The constructionist approach to framing: Bringing culture back
in." Journal of communication 57, no. 1 (2007): 60-78.
33
Yeasmin, Sabina, and Khan Ferdousour Rahman. "Triangulation'research method as the tool of
social science research." BUP journal 1, no. 1 (2012): 154-163.
Portrayal of Muslims in the Bollywood Movies
102
have been generated to examine the content by applying the emphasis framing technique
of Semetko.
34
These categories are Dressing, dialogue, dialect, appearance, body language
and activities religious practice, patriotism, behavior and profession. Through this,
researchers get the answers by designing the positive, negative and neutral coding
categories.
Variables
• Independent variables: Independent variable in present study is portrayal or
representation of Muslims in Bollywood movies.
• Dependent variables: Dependent variable in this study is Muslim’s image.
Universe of study
Universe of study is Bollywood movies related Muslims released during the time
period of 2009-2012.This time period is selected to check the portrayal of Muslims and
Islam after the incident of 26/11.
Sample
It is not possible for researchers to examine all Bollywood movies which are
released during 2009-2012. Convenient sampling technique has been used and ten movies
are selected as a sample which has strong Muslim characters. These ten movies are
representative of all Bollywood movies related to Muslims.
Unit of Analysis
Each Muslim character presented in selected Bollywood movies is considered as
the unit of analysis.
Coding
Coding sheet has been formulated with further mentioned factors to put the unit
of analysis in it. Three slants are classified as coding categories to check the factors which
are positive, negative and neutral.
I. Dressing
Dressing is a good way to represent a person because through dressing one tries
to judge the behavior of other. Dressing of Muslim characters is considered. Muslims,
wearing typical shalwar, qameez, check scarf on shoulders and cap for male and Burka,
veil or typical hijab for female is conservative and wearing modern dress, simple shalwar-
qameez for male and shalwar-qameez wearing dupata or simple hijab for female consider
modern while others considered neutral.
II. Dialogue
Words or lines spoken by a Muslim character in a movie are considered dialogue
for coding. Dialogue which talk about Islam and Jihad in negative way and talking against
other religion are considered conservative/negative and talking about Islam in light way
and something in favor of Islam against violation will be consider modern/positive. Other
dialogues which are neither in favor nor against are considered neutral.
34
Semetko, Holli A., and Patti M. Valkenburg. "Framing European politics: A content analysis of
press and television news." Journal of communication 50, no. 2 (2000): 93-109.
Pakistan Journal of Islamic Research Special Edition, 2018
103
III. Dialect
Dialect is a specific pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar of specific area and
culture. Dialect is examined by the content words related to Islam like INSHALLAH,
ASLAM-O-ALIKUM or particular Urdu words are used by Muslim characters. Use of
Islamic culture dialect in a negative way by adversary or bad people before or after any
evil deeds shows them conservative/negative, use in routine life is considered
modern/positive and absence is considered neutral.
IV. Appearance
Appearance means how Muslim characters appear in Bollywood movies, how
they look like. Having beard mostly bread without mustache, apply collyrium in eyes,
charm in neck and rosary in hand for male and charm in neck, rosary in hand for female is
considered conservative/negative. Common person without bread, having mustache and
sometime bread which looks decent or have casual look is considered modern/positive.
Reset of appearance is considered neutral.
V. Body Language
Body language polishes the way of dialogue delivery and expresses it in a fine
way with emotions and feelings. Body language of Muslim character represented in
Bollywood movies is counted. Characters show anger and hatred for non-Muslims through
their body language is considered conservative/negative, showing politeness and love for
non-Muslims are considered modern. All other categories fall in slant of neutral.
VI. Activities
Activities means in which type of actions Muslims are busy in Bollywood movies.
If Muslims are busy in some evil task planning to murder someone, to blast somewhere or
any other activities which are harmful for society is considered negative, busy in normal
activities which have no side effects on society are consider positive. Where activities are
not shown is considered neutral.
VII. Religious Practices
In which way Bollywood portrayed Muslims characters performing their religious
activities. Those Muslim characters that practice their religion in a happy way and share
their happiness with their non-Muslim fellows is considered modern/positive, are planning
something evil on religious festival or at sacred place is considered conservative. And those
Muslim characters are not shown in movie practicing their religion is considered neutral.
VIII. Patriotism
Patriotism is one attachment and love for one’s homeland and should loyal with
one’s country. Follow his culture, and values with passion. Muslim characters have loyalty
with the country (living country) is considered modern but if only shows his loyalty with
Islam not with their country is considered conservative. Other categories fall in neutral.
IX. Behavior
The behavior Muslim characters have in Bollywood movies with their community
members is considered. if they respect people of other religion than it is fall in positive
slant, behaving badly with non-Muslim characters is in negative slant and not mentioned
or unclearly behavior is considered neutral.
X. Profession
Which type of profession has been adopted by Muslim character is checked.
Adopted profession of Muslim in movies which does not harm the society is considered
positive, such profession or way to earn money which is adversary for society is
conservative/negative and not mentioned profession is considered neutral.
XI. Overall View
Over all view is derived from other categories. If the character is negative in more
categories than positive and neutral then it is considered negative in over all view. But if
Portrayal of Muslims in the Bollywood Movies
104
character is more positive in categories than negative and neutral than it is considered
positive in over all view. If positive categories and negative categories have same values
or more categories have neutral values then it is considered neutral.
Analysis
90 characters from 10 movies has been analyzed according to above described
categories and the total figures show that almost 25% slant is positive, 32% is neutral and
43% is negative. This demonstrates that portrayal of Islam and Muslim characters is more
negative than neutral or positive.
Category
Positive
Negative
Neutral
Dressing
49 (54%)
33(37%)
08(9%)
Dialogue
15(16%)
42(47%)
33(21%)
Dialect
11(12%)
27(30%)
52(58%)
Appearance
43(48%)
39(43%)
8(9%)
Body language
19(21%)
53(59%)
18(20%)
Activities
19(21%)
58(65%)
13(14%)
Religious Practice
01(1%)
14(16%)
75(83%)
Patriotism
12(13%)
45(50%)
33(37%)
Behavior
19(21%)
44(48%)
27(30%)
Profession
38(42%)
25(28%)
27(30%)
Overall view
21(23%)
48(53%)
21(23%)
Total
244(24.66%)
428(43.23%)
315(31.81%)
Discussion
After analyzing the Muslim characters represented in Bollywood movies it is
observed that portrayal of Islam and Muslim is more negative than positive or neutral and
these results endorse the study of Khan and Bukhari which used to said that Indian media
including films portray Islamic culture and Muslims identity negatively.
35
35
Khan, Muhammad Ashraf, and Syeda Zuria Bokhari. "Portrayal of Muslims in Indian Cinema: A Content Analysis of Movies during
(2002-8)." Pakistan Journal of Islamic Research8 (2011): 1-15.
Pakistan Journal of Islamic Research Special Edition, 2018
105
Dressing and appearance of Muslim characters are represented positively
according to the finding which have 56% and 48% positive slant respectively. But results
of overall view are quite different from dressing and appearance which only have 23%
positivity. Conflict between the figure of dressing and appearance with overall view
neglects the study of Islam who stated that Muslims in evil character are represented
conservative by their dressing.
36
The present study reveals that now adversary Muslims are
seldom imaged in typical Muslim dress in Bollywood movies and a formal modern dressed
Muslim can also be dangerous and disloyal to society. Ehsaan and his companions in
“Kurbaan”, Dr Faizan Khan in “My name is khan”, “Samir” and his partners in “New
York” are immense examples on this perspective.
In the same way conflict between the profession and activity of Muslim characters
prove them disloyal people who cannot be trusted on the basses of appearance in society.
Only 28% Muslim Characters adopt negative profession where 68% are busy in different
negative activity which shows duality in Muslim characters. They are portrayed as having
negative activities unexposed and posed them innocent by adopting genuine profession.
This elaboration is related to the study of.
37
Bollywood also stereotype Islam and Muslims adversary for society by using the
frames of dialogue, body language and behavior which are 47%, 59% and 48% negative
respectively. Muslims are portrayed as aggressive people how hate other religions and
nations. In movie Kurbaan through conversation of “bhai jaan” and “Riyaaz” a message is
delivered that by creating the evil incident of 9/11 Muslims became successful to develop
fear of Muslim and Islam. Such expression “wehshi Hindus”, “Kafiron ki fitrat”, “khon
kholta hai” (aggression for jews) are delivered by Muslim characters. Positivity in
dialogue, body language and behavior is only 16%, 21% and 21% respectively that indorse
the study of Baba.
38
Only 1% religious practice and 12% dialect is positively portrayed in Bollywood.
Muslim characters are misrepresented by justifying their evil deal with Islam. Terrorists
and adverse people used to say “INSHALLAH”, “BISMILLAH”, “ALLAH hamry sat h
hai” or any other words related to Islam before any evil deed like bombing or murdering.
In movie “Agent Vinod” a suicide bomber said BISMILLAH before blast. Islamic slogan
like NARA E TAKBEER has also been delivered by adversary Muslims while planning to
do something dangerous for society as like “Lamhaa” movie do this practice. Islam is also
portrayed as a religion of terror trough creating wrong perception of religious practices and
concepts like jihad, shahadat, address on Jummah prayer or Eid and sometime Qurbani. In
movie “My name is khan” there is a scene in mosque in which a person represented as a
scholar of Muslims gives a wrong perception regarding to religious hero’s story. In one
scene of “Lamhaa” regarding to address of Jumah prayer, a sense of miss guidance is
clearly delivered about Jihad and said “Yeh jihad ab khatam nahi ho ga”. It endorses the
studies of Yin that demonstrates such kind of stereotyping of Islam and Muslims in
Hollywood.
39
Immense figure is obtained by research that 50% Muslim characters are disloyal
to their country. Patriotism in Muslim characters is 13%. There are numbers of examples
but movies like “New York”, “Lamhaa”, “Agent Vinod” and “Kurban” are prominent. In
36
Islam, Maidul. "Imagining Indian Muslims: Looking through the Lens of Bollywood Cinema." Indian Journal of Human
Development 1, no. 2 (2007): 403-422.
37
Lohia, Yamini. "Anandam P. Kavoori and Aswin Punathambekar (Eds.): Global Bollywood." International Journal of
Communication 4 (2010): 3.
38
Baba, T. A. "Kashmir through Bollywood lenses: A study of selected films post 1989." Unpublished Master’s thesis), Islamic
University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Jammu & Kashmir, India (2011).
39
Yin, Tung. "Through a screen darkly: Hollywood as a measure of discrimination against Arabs and Muslims." Duke FL & Soc. Change 2 (2010): 103.
Portrayal of Muslims in the Bollywood Movies
106
movie “Kurbaan” a Muslim character said “Hum pahly Muslaman hain American nahi”
which shows his negative behavior according to patriotism. These results also relate to the
study of Kattarwala who stated that Muslims are portrayed as anti-national and show their
loyalty only with Islam and supporting the enemies of the nation across the border.
40
It is qualitatively analyzed that Bollywood has started stereotyping Muslims more
adversary after the incedent of 26/11. It is also specifying the terrorists and adverse people
by mentioning their nationality or link toward different countries like Afghanistan and
Pakistan. In movie “Agent Vinod” and “ek tha tiger” negative picture of ISI and army is
drawn. In movie “New York” nationality of two terrorist is mentioned as Pakistani. In
movie “Kurbaan” “Ehsan khan” a terrorist and leading character is also belong to Pakistan.
In movie “Lamhaa” Pakistan is also portrayed as a country which train the terrorist as a
Muslim character said “jis shidat k sath tum ny quran ki ayyatain yad ki hain usi shidat k
sath Pakistan main ja training karna”.
Conclusion
After the quantitative and qualitative research analysis, it is concluded that the
representation of Muslims in Bollywood is negative. The negative portrayal of Muslim
characters is more than twice of positive percentage. Bollywood represent Muslim
characters adverse for society. As results prove that Muslim characters in Bollywood, are
involved in such activities which are harmful and dangerous for society. More, over
religious practices of Muslims also misrepresented and misused by Bollywood. Muslims
are portrayed as negative then it dominantly relate their adverse activities with Islam. Those
Muslim characters that are negatively portrayed they are sometimes conservative and
sometimes modern. A positive Muslim character is always portrayed as modern; it is
seldom happens that any positive Muslim character is imaged as conservative. It is
examined by the appearance and dressing portrayal of Muslim characters in Bollywood.
Muslim character in Bollywood has duality regarding to their profession and activities.
They have negative activities mostly unexposed which depict that they are negative in real
but posed themselves positive by adapting non-adversary and genuine profession which
aid them to represent modern apparently. Bollywood become a global communication
medium and its representation is valuable in East as well as in West. Bollywood is playing
a negative role in damaging the image of Islam and Muslims through such kind of portrayal.
40
Kattarwala, Nafisa. "The portrayal of Islam in the Indian mass media." SVKM’s NMIMS University paper, Mumbai (2009).
