Bollywood’s Muslim stereotype turned the recent matter after clips from Neflix India’s latest movie Mission Majnu began circulating on social media. The age previous visible markers have been ticked off — a person with kohl rimmed eyes who spits adaabs in each sentence with the backdrop of Pakistan manufacturing nuclear weapons. Actor Sanam Saeed spoke to Brut India about this type of stereotyping and Bollywood’s ban on Pakistani artists, saying she doesn’t get why politics must penetrate cultural collaboration.
The Zindagi Gulzar Hai actor shared her favorite Bollywood movie — Queen — terming the relatability issue as the explanation. “It wasn’t a spectacle,” she stated, because the dialog shifted to the best way Muslims are sometimes captured by way of the Bollywood lens.
“After all, we at all times make enjoyable of how Muslims are portrayed in Indian movies with the kajol [kohl], namaz ki topi [prayer cap] and the inexperienced within the background someplace to indicate that this can be a Muslim individual or Muslim neighborhood. It will get too political, they’ve at all times been highlighted because the enemy.” She added that she doesn’t recall seeing any initiatives the place the 2 nations are pals and are collaborating collectively. She believes that is removed from actuality, “where collaborations are happening at every level”.
Leaping to the time earlier than the ban was imposed, she stated it didn’t come as a shock to see the cross-border cultural trade take off. “It was exciting, it was about time. It felt very exhilarating, very liberating and kind of complete that finally these two hubs of culture, creativity and art were collaborating to form even greater stuff.”
She juxtaposed her sentiments after the ban was imposed as a result of Uri assault in 2016. “It was a bit of a rude awakening, confusing — why mix politics with art and culture? Tragic but also, I guess we all got over it, it is what it is — you can’t fight it, there’s nothing you can do about it. Except stuff like this, what we’re doing now,” she stated including that regardless of every little thing, the artists are nonetheless making an attempt to make their means and work collectively. “It’s unfortunate, it’s very tragic and unfortunate.”
When requested about her views on Mahira Khan’s feedback about being cautious of taking over Indian OTT initiatives which got here across the time Saeed starred in ZEE5‘s Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam, she stated their conditions have been totally different. “I by no means labored in Bollywood — this isn’t Bollywood, Bollywood is a totally totally different ballgame. By the point I used to be getting my foot within the door, the ban had come. Fawad [Khan] and Mahira actually have been on the brunt of it so I’m certain they’re nervous and scared due to how they have been handled.
“It’s definitely a confusing place to be in when one second you’re here and the next second you’re completely let go off. I can totally understand why Mahira would be nervous to take that step again because that was a tough step exit for them,” she added.
