At a time when many minority groups are hoping for accurate representation in the media, it is utterly disappointing to see megastar Shahrukh Khan doing the opposite. The Muslim actor, who needs no introduction, is producing Netflix’s Bard of Blood, and still going with the ‘Muslims are terrorists’ stereotype.
Sticking to stereotypes is not helping your case. In the biz, this is normally something white producers are accused of, but Indian producer Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Bard of Blood‘ is no different. It is only fair that we ask that is he a brown Muslim apologist? Or just racist without even realizing it?
Shahrukh Khan Produced Bard of Blood
Here’s the trailer for Bard of Blood:
The trailer of our first @netflix series #BardOfBlood is here. A thrilling tale of espionage, vengeance, love and duty. Hope u enjoy it…@NetflixIndia @RedChilliesEnt @emraanhashmi @_GauravVerma @BilalS158 @ribhudasgupta pic.twitter.com/aftLjq3BA1
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) August 22, 2019
Shahrukh Khan’s recent Netflix production follows the Hollywood stereotypical theme of ‘brown, Muslim terrorists’. The Netflix project ‘Bard of Blood‘ is centered around the plot where almost all Pakistani Muslims are terrorists. There’s also a reference to Indian espionage in Balochistan, but of course.
Its not just Shahrukh Khan who should be the subject of our ire. The project also includes Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who is also an Indian Muslim as well. Even the protagonist Imran Hashmi is.
Racial Profiling or Racism?
It’s racial profiling alright, but is it racism? Or does the ‘I’m brown and Muslim so I can’t be racist‘ argument work?
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Yes, it is racism because if it isn’t then neither is Irish slavery by British colonizers in North America. Or the Bosnian massacre by Serbians. Or African dictators trying to wipe out ethnic groups.
While Bollywood is famous for churning out jingoistic content, sadly that element has now carried over to Netflix. People are having none of this propaganda to feed into the Indian government’s narrative of Hindutva supremacy, while painting Muslims as the enemy.
Before Bard of Blood, Sacred Games too is guilty of the same. And we all know what happened to director Anurag Kashyap when he dared to criticized Modi government’s policies.
Social Media Reactions
Social media is also not having any of it.
https://twitter.com/ActaFoolPlz/status/1164592356722663425
Bollywood has made jingoism a business but people are calling out Netflix to do better:
@netflix it's 2019 and I think you should get rid of the racist, hate-mongering and stereotyping content. Pakistan is not what it is being shown.
— Bushra Joyo-Gandhi (@filmyjoyo) August 22, 2019
This is the only way Indian Muslims can prove their Indian-ness, by being extremely anti-Pakistan. Sad state of affairs. @iamsrk @NetflixIndia
— Ayesha Kaifi #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@do_jeeney) August 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/ihaiderimran/status/1164584555262763008
https://twitter.com/faisalabdulmoid/status/1164587648046026757
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Some speculate this is an attempt to justify Indian human rights abuses in Kashmir, and that National Registration of Citizens (NRC) in Assam are justified (the 1940’s called and the Nazi Party of Germany are asking for their policy ideas back).
https://twitter.com/intellectroll/status/1164571426491441152
How else will they survive in a Nazi India – but to appease !!!
— AG Hussain (@ag__hussain) August 22, 2019
Then there was no shortage of humor about the ordeal.
https://twitter.com/aizazkhalid3/status/1164583664472211457
#BardOfBlood🤷♀️ pic.twitter.com/3Of6CRhtHK
— سمعیہ (@samiya_yasmine) August 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/AmnaSuleiman/status/1164617960562003970
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Some even asked the fangirling to stop.
https://twitter.com/itx_halloween/status/1164584222314639360
Like Mehwish Hayat said in Norway, its’ high time we get over ‘the brown terrorist‘. If Netflix doesn’t fix it maybe we should release our content abroad like Chalay Thay Saath.
