The film "Hamare Baarah" (originally titled "Hum Do, Hamare Barah") became embroiled in a legal controversy when it was accused of misrepresenting the Quran and containing content deemed offensive to Islam and the Muslim community. The Supreme Court intervened, staying the release of the film until the Bombay High Court rendered a final judgment.
This controversy ignited a fervent debate on social media, polarising public opinion. One camp contends that the film sheds light on the systemic oppression faced by Muslim women, while the other decries it as pernicious propaganda that unfairly implicates Muslims in population growth issues. However, the Bombay High Court has recently lifted the ban, asserting that the film does not contain objectionable content directed at the Muslim community and is, in fact, intended to promote the empowerment of women.
The movie narrates the story of a Muslim husband, who, despite losing his first wife during childbirth, persists in having more children with his second wife, who is now pregnant with her sixth child. When doctors warn that continuing the pregnancy could endanger her life, the husband adamantly refuses an abortion. His daughter Alfiya, determined to save her stepmother, takes her father to court to demand an abortion. The film delves into whether Alfiya can persuade her father and the court, while questioning the deep-rooted patriarchy in their society.
Questions arise as to whether the film is a genuine artistic endeavour addressing social issues or a cinematic work that unfairly portrays a particular religion negatively. It prompts us to consider if it provocatively targets the religion under the guise of delivering a social message. It raises concerns about whether it places undue blame on a single religion for the nation’s slow development. Furthermore, it challenges us to reflect on whether the freedom to speak the truth should be upheld even if it incites hatred.
The movie fails to promote the empowerment of women, instead focusing on how women are allegedly treated in Muslim families. The film does not effectively portray the suffering of these women, leaving viewers unable to empathise with their plight. Consequently, it is unlikely that the film will inspire any meaningful change in its audience. It rather depicts a toxic father in a Muslim family, portrayed as a dictatorial figure who demands absolute obedience from female members of the family.
For instance, the movie’s central plot is based on the premise that the Muslim community is responsible for the country's large population. However, it fails to illustrate, if it’s a social message, how this population growth hinders national development. Thus, the movie fails to deliver any single message to its audience.
Instead, it exclusively blames the Muslim community, without any evidence, for the government’s failure to implement the two-child policy. In one scene, an actor, when questioned by a journalist about the government's inability to enforce the two-child policy, attributes the failure to the Opposition and the Muslim community, suggesting they are obstructing the policy's passage.
Further deviating from its purported message of population control, the movie deceptively includes irrelevant dialogues that seem designed to portray Islamic practices negatively. For instance, at one point, the leading actor remarks that in Islam, women are forbidden from speaking to strangers. The protestors in the movie use the word “Kafirs” for those who were fighting for the abortion of 6th child of the wife of the leading actor (the husband). The movie further praises the initiative of the government of banning Triple Talaq. It further shows that how the husband does not remember the names of all of his children. But what does the data actually say about fertility rate within the Muslim community?
The National Family Health Survey, 2019–20 (NFHS–5), conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), reveals that numerous states have already achieved replacement-level fertility, and India’s total fertility rates (TFR) are steadily declining. Census data shows the decadal growth rate of Muslims declining over the past three decades.
The growth rate for Muslims decreased from 32.9 percent in 1981-1991 to 24.6 percent in 2001-2011, a fall of 8.3 percent. Significantly, this decline is greater than that of Hindus. Over the same period, the Hindu growth rate fell only by 5.9 percent from 22.7 percent to 16.8 percent.
The 2011 Census of India indicated that the Muslim population growth rate was higher than that of the Hindu population. However, the controversy over this interpretation obscured the critical fact that the gap between the two growth rates had significantly decreased from 2001 to 2011, contradicting the prevailing claims. Census data indicates that although India's Muslim population grew faster than the Hindu population between 1991 and 2001 and again between 2001 and 2011, the rate of growth for Muslims declined more significantly than that for Hindus over these two decades. In fact, among all major religious communities in the country, Hindus experienced the smallest decline in population growth between these two decades, while smaller groups like Jains and Buddhists saw the sharpest decreases.
Nevertheless, it is important for filmmakers to avoid presenting selective facts that portray a religion in a negative light. While the intentions behind "Hamare Baarah" are questionable, even if we assume the film's sole aim was to address population control, it is wrong to place the blame solely on one religion. Additionally, the inclusion of irrelevant dialogues that depict all members of the Muslim community as culpable is unjustifiable. Accurate representation and fair treatment of all communities are essential in fostering a more informed and respectful discourse.
In conclusion, "Hamare Baarah" has sparked a significant controversy, raising crucial questions about the portrayal of religious communities in cinema and the broader implications for social harmony. While the film aims to highlight issues faced by Muslim women, it ultimately falls short of promoting any kind of empowerment and instead perpetuates negative stereotypes. The data from the National Family Health Survey and the Census of India demonstrate that the narrative of Muslim population growth contributing disproportionately to national challenges is misleading.
The real issue lies in the misinterpretation and selective presentation of facts. As we navigate the delicate balance between freedom of expression and social responsibility, it is imperative to approach such sensitive topics with nuanced understanding and respect for all communities. Only then can we foster a more informed and cohesive society. Moreover, the practice of individuals from different communities disparaging other religions must be halted, as it hampers the nation's progress more significantly than population issues.
(Ravi Singh Chhikara and Rishabh Attri are practicing advocates at the Delhi High Court. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)
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