NEW DELHI: According to Forrest Gump, life is like a box of chocolates because “you never know what you’re going to get.” Now, an Indian remake of the movie has been hit by boycott calls over years-old comments by its Muslim star Aamir Khan.
It is the latest example of how Bollywood actors, particularly minority Muslims like Khan, are feeling increased pressure under Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Modi.
“Laal Singh Chaddha,” an Indian spin on the 1994 Hollywood hit with Tom Hanks, is expected to be one of India’s biggest films of 2022.
This is due in large part to its main star, 57-year-old Khan, one of the Indian industry’s most bankable actors with past blockbusters like “3 Idiots” (2009) and “Dangal” (2016).
But ahead of the August 11 release, the Internet is awash with clips from a 2015 interview when Khan expressed a growing “sense of fear” and that he and his then-wife discussed leaving India.
“She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day,” he said.
More than 200,000 tweets, many from supporters of Modi’s BJP party, have been shared since last month calling for people to spurn the movie with the hashtag #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha.
“Aamir Khan married two Hindu Women, yet named his kids Junaid, Azad & Ira. (Hindu co-star) Kareena (Kapoor) married a Muslim & promptly named her kids Taimur & Jehangir,” said one tweet, referring to the children’s typical Muslim names.
“That’s enough reasons to boycott Lal Singh Chaddha, basically a production from Bollywood’s Love Jihad club. #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha,” it added, using a derogatory term coined by Hindu nationalists who accuse Muslim men of marrying Hindu women and forcing them to convert.
Nicknamed “Mr Perfectionist,” Khan has been credited with pushing films beyond Bollywood’s traditional fare of song and dance into social and cultural issues.
He also hosted a TV chat show — “Satyamev Jayate” — that discussed touchy themes like rape, domestic violence and corruption.
The furor over his new film — which adapts Hanks’ famous line to say that “life is like a golgappa,” an Indian snack — is such that this week Khan stressed his patriotism, a key tenet of the Modi government.
“I feel sad that some of the people... believe that I am someone who doesn’t like India,” he told local media.
“That’s not the case. Please don’t boycott my film. Please watch my film.”
Films have long sparked controversy — as well as violence — in the movie-mad country of 1.4 billion people.
But the heat being felt by Khan, one of a clutch of Muslim megastars in the industry along with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, mirrors growing intolerance, marginalization and vilification of the minority, commentators say.
“There is no doubt that Aamir is being targeted by those spreading hatred toward Muslims,” one commentator, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of becoming a target himself, told AFP.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) owes its origins to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militaristic group espousing “Hindutva,” or making India an exclusively Hindu state.
Lynchings of Muslims by Hindu mobs over so-called cow protection — a sacred animal for many Hindus — and other hate crimes have sown fear in the 200- million-strong Muslim population.
Social media is full of misinformation claiming that Muslims will soon outnumber Hindus — due to inter-religious marriages — or that the minority is a treasonous fifth column backed by Pakistan.
Critics say that the world’s most prolific film industry and its stars have been gradually changing their output to fit the government narrative since Modi came to power in 2014.
In 2019, the hagiographic “PM Narendra Modi” was too much even for the Election Commission, which delayed its release until after a vote that year.
There has been a recent string of military-themed movies that have been nationalistic, all-guns-blazing stories of heroics by soldiers and police — usually Hindus — against enemies outside and within India.
This year’s “The Kashmir Files,” about the fleeing of Hindus from Muslim-majority Kashmir in 1989-90, saw incidents of people in cinemas calling for revenge killings of Muslims.
Film critic and author Anna MM Vetticad said the methods to “subordinate India’s Muslims and Christians to the majority community... include demonizing these minorities, and constantly demanding proof of their patriotism.”
But little is expected to change.
“India’s tragedy is that a majority in Bollywood... are apathetic, opportunistic or afraid,” Vetticad told AFP.
Hindu nationalists push boycott of Bollywood ‘Forrest Gump’ remake
https://arab.news/w5k4g
Hindu nationalists push boycott of Bollywood ‘Forrest Gump’ remake
- Latest example of Bollywood actors, particularly minority Muslims, feeling increased pressure under Hindu nationalist PM Modi
- “Laal Singh Chaddha,” Indian spin on 1994 Hollywood hit with Tom Hanks, expected to be one of India’s biggest films of 2022
Qassim artisans preserve palm wicker heritage
- Art, passed down through generations, continues to thrive as artisans blend rich cultural heritage with creativity at the Buraidah Dates Carnival
- Palm wicker industry dates back to ancient times, originally serving essential household needs
RIYADH: The Qassim region is renowned for its traditional craftsmanship, particularly in the palm wicker industry. This art, passed down through generations, continues to thrive as artisans blend rich cultural heritage with creativity at the Buraidah Dates Carnival.
Craftswoman Umm Abdullah demonstrated the intricate process of palm wicker weaving, beginning with soaking and drying the fronds before skillfully crafting them into a range of products, including baskets, mats, and dining mats.
She explained that the abundance of palm trees in Qassim has made the craft a vital source of income for families working in the cottage industry, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
Umm Abdullah said that palm frond collectibles are in high demand due to their cultural significance and cherished connection to heritage.
The palm wicker industry dates back to ancient times, originally serving essential household needs. Over time, development and innovation have diversified its products and designs, solidifying its position as an authentic craft.
From Cannes to Casino du Liban, flutist Daniel Alhaiby returns to Lebanon
DUBAI: Flute in hand and a deep connection to both East and West, Daniel Alhaiby is preparing for his first solo concert at Lebanon’s Casino du Liban on Sept. 10.
The performance follows his years of experience playing at prestigious venues and events, including the Cannes Film Festival, where he shared his music with international audiences.
“Cannes is pure magic. Each time I play, I feel like I’m representing not just myself, but a whole culture, a whole story,” Alhaiby told Arab News.
Returning to Lebanon for his solo concert is a deeply personal moment for Alhaiby.
“Performing in Lebanon is like coming full circle for me. It’s where everything started, and it holds so much significance,” he said.
“Sharing my music in my home country feels like a celebration of my journey, from Paris to the world stage and back home again.
“Casino du Liban has always been a dream venue for me … The audience can expect a truly special experience. I’ve carefully crafted the setlist to take them on a musical journey that blends my original compositions with reimagined classics.”
Alhaiby’s musical influences are diverse, ranging from Piazzolla and Rimsky-Korsakov to Fairuz, Hans Zimmer, Pink Floyd and Bach.
“I’m influenced by emotion more than genre. Anything that moves me, be it a Bach partita or an oriental improvisation, finds its way into my music,” he said.
The musician shared that he was drawn to the flute from a “very young age,” saying: “Its sound always felt close to my soul, there’s something about its breathy, expressive tone that connected deeply with my emotions. Over time, it became more than just an instrument; it became my voice, my way of expressing everything words couldn’t.”
Yara Shahidi stars in new Jean Paul Gaultier campaign
DUBAI: Part-Middle Eastern actress Yara Shahidi is the face of Jean Paul Gaultier’s latest “Divine” campaign for the luxury brand’s new elixir.
The French brand released its Divine eau de parfum as an elixir — a type of concentrated perfume — this week, with Shahidi starring in the campaign alongside model Raphael Diogo.
Crafted by perfumer Quentin Bisch, the scent has floral and marine notes and was first released as an eau de parfum in 2023.
The fragrance is vegan, cruelty free and made with 90 percent “natural origin ingredients responsibly sourced,” according to the label.
In a new set of images and clips shared on social media, Shahidi can be seen posing in a gold-hued sequinned gown while clutching the new product. The actress also showed off a velvet black top edged with gold baubles in another image.
In the original 2023 campaign, Shahidi appeared alongside Spanish actress Lola Rodriquez, South African catwalk star Thando Hopa, US actress and model Tess McMillan, Lagos-born model Janet Jumbo and Brazilian runway model Ana Elisa de Brito.
The “Grown-ish” star was also included in the casting decisions and creative aspects of the launch, which aimed to celebrate women.
“Actress, model, activist, social justice advocate and feminist, she was one of Time Magazines’ Most Influential Teens of 2016. Harvard graduate and creator of Eighteen x 18, a platform to encourage young US people to vote, Yara Shahidi has many different faces,” the brand wrote in a statement at the time.
The collaboration came after Shahidi was spotted wearing a custom-made, bronzed look by Jean Paul Gaultier at the 2023 Met Gala.
Shahidi is also a global ambassador for the Dior’s fashion and beauty lines and was named among National Geographic’s list of 33 “visionaries, creators, icons, and adventurers” from across the globe earlier this year.
Part-Middle Eastern star Shahidi, whose father is Iranian, was named on the list in the “Creators” subsection that celebrates “out-of-the-box thinkers developing innovative solutions.”
The “Black-ish” and “Grown-ish” actress was highlighted due to her podcast “The Optimist Project.”
Shahidi, 25, launched the podcast to explore how to live a more fulfilling life with various special guests hosted on each episode.
Shahidi, a Harvard graduate, says she was inspired by the dynamic conversations she has with members of her diverse family.
Filmmakers urge Venice Film Festival to take stand on Gaza
DUBAI: Hundreds of filmmakers and cultural figures have rallied behind an open letter demanding the Venice Film Festival break its silence on Gaza, calling on it to take a “clear and unambiguous stand” against what they denounce as genocide and ethnic cleansing.
The appeal, organized under the banner of Venice4Palestine, was sent to the Venice film festival umbrella organization, the Biennale di Venezia, on Friday.
In the letter, the group accuses the Israeli government and military of carrying out genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing across Palestine. It urges the festival to avoid becoming “a sad and empty showcase” by providing instead “a place of dialogue, active participation and resistance, as it has been in the past.”
Signatories include British filmmaker Ken Loach, Italian actor Toni Servillo (star of 2025 Venice opener, “La Grazia” from Paolo Sorrentino), Italian actress and director siblings Alba and Alice Rohrwacher, actress Jasmine Trinca, French directors Celine Sciamma and Audrey Diwan, British actor Charles Dance, and Palestinian directorial duo Arab Nasser and Tarzan Nasser, who won best director in Cannes Un Certain Regard this year for their latest film, “Once Upon A Time In Gaza.”
The letter references the deaths of nearly 250 Palestinian media workers since the start of the conflict and stresses that cultural institutions cannot remain detached.
“As the spotlight turns on the Venice Film Festival, we’re in danger of going through yet another major event that remains indifferent to this human, civil, and political tragedy,” it reads. “‘The show must go on,’ we are told, as we’re urged to look away — as if the ‘film world’ had nothing to do with the ‘real world.’
“For once, the show must stop. We must interrupt the flow of indifference and open a path to awareness.” It concludes: “There is no cinema without humanity.”
In response, the Biennale said the festival “has always been, throughout their history, places of open discussion and sensitivity to all the most pressing issues facing society and the world.”
It pointed to works in the lineup such as “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s competition entry about the killing of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza in 2024.
Bands pull out of UK festival following Palestinian flag controversy
- Incident sparks wave of boycotts from other performers
LONDON: Several bands withdrew from a British festival on Saturday following claims that Irish folk group The Mary Wallopers had their set cut short for displaying a Palestinian flag.
The incident sparked a wave of boycotts from other performers in solidarity, it was reported on Sunday.
The Last Dinner Party, Cliffords, and The Academic announced that they would no longer perform at the annual Victorious Festival in Portsmouth, citing concerns over political censorship.
Rock band The Last Dinner Party described the incident as “outrageous” and said they could not condone silencing artists.
“As Gazans are deliberately plunged into catastrophic famine after two years of escalating violence, it is urgent and obvious that artists use their platform to draw attention to the cause,” the band said in a statement shared on Instagram.
They urged fans to support Palestinian medical charities and apologized to those hoping to see them perform.
The Mary Wallopers claimed the festival released a “misleading statement” by suggesting their set was cut due to a discriminatory chant, rather than the band’s call to “Free Palestine.”
They released video footage showing a crew member removing the flag from the stage before the sound was cut.
“The same crew member is later heard saying ‘You aren’t playing until the flag is removed’,” the band added.
The Academic said they could not “in good conscience” perform at a festival that silenced free speech, while Cliffords said they “refuse to play if we are to be censored for showing our support to the people of Palestine.”
Festival organizers initially said The Mary Wallopers’ microphones were turned off after displaying the flag, citing a long-standing policy against flags for safety and event management reasons.
They said: “We spoke to the artist before the performance regarding the festival’s long-standing policy of not allowing flags of any kind at the event, but (we said) that we respect their right to express their views during the show.”
They acknowledged, however, that the policy was not communicated sensitively and apologized for the way the situation was handled.
They added: “The Mary Wallopers are a fantastic band, and we were very much looking forward to their performance on Friday.
“We are in the business of putting on great shows, not cutting them off, and this is the last thing we wanted — for the band, their fans and ourselves.”
Organizers also pledged to make a “substantial donation” to humanitarian relief efforts for Palestinians.
The festival’s closing day on Sunday was set to feature Kings of Leon, with Bloc Party, Gabrielle, and The Reytons among the other acts scheduled to perform.
