Recent Bollywood production raises Concerns about increasing hatred against Muslims

The film “Kerala Story”, which began its release in India in May, is the second highest-grossing Indian film of 2023 which tells the story of a Hindu woman who converted to Islam and then became an extremist.

Critics believe that this film is trying to defame Muslims and spread fake news about them, especially near the elections.

It is said that the teaser of this film, called “anti-Muslim”, is inspired by many true stories and shows the lives of “innocent girls who are victims of trafficking” with the aim of “making them terrorists”.

In other words, this low-cost film depicts “jihadi love” in an attempt to suggest Hindus being seduced by Muslims with the aim of spreading Islamist terrorism.

The production date of the film also goes back to the publication of a false claim that 32,000 Hindu and Christian women were recruited by ISIS from the state of Kerala, located in southern India.

Critics believe that the film seeks to pit India’s various communities against each other in the run-up to the 2024 national elections, raising concerns that the Bollywood industry will become a tool for propaganda ahead of next year’s elections.

Meanwhile, an Indian journalist told AFP that during Mr. Modi’s tenure as prime minister, several films with divisive messages were broadcast that reinforced the prejudices of political leaders.

From his point of view, these films, like these politicians themselves, have instilled hatred against religious minorities in the people.