Rise of Anti Muslim Narratives in Bollywood

• The Dark Side of Historical Distortion, Nationalism and Cheap Entertainment:

Islamophobia, or anti Muslim sentiment, is becoming increasingly pronounced in Indian cinema. Speaking recently at the Rajendra Mathur Memorial Lecture in New Delhi, noted filmmaker Mr. Tigmanshu Dhulia expressed strong concern over this toxic trend in Hindi cinema. According to him, the anti Muslim sentiment that has spread through Indian society like a cancer has not left Bollywood filmmakers untouched, and this negative social shift is now being reflected on the cinema screen.

Popular films reflect a country’s social and political climate. According to Mr. Dhulia’s analysis, recent successful Bollywood films have centered on four recurring patterns.

1. The “Muslim Equals Terrorist” Trope

Muslim characters in Hindi films are frequently portrayed as villains linked to extremism, cross border terrorism or fundamentalism. This trend is evident in films set against a Kashmir backdrop, from earlier titles through more recent releases that similarly connect Muslim characters to militancy or radicalism.

2. Anti Pakistan and Hyper Nationalist Films

Films built around the India-Pakistan wars and border conflicts have a long history of stoking nationalist sentiment while portraying the neighboring country one sidedly as the villain, a pattern seen across numerous war dramas over the decades.

3. Historical Distortion and Muslim Rulers Cast as Villains

Historical and period dramas often celebrate the heroism of Indian kings while portraying medieval Muslim rulers as violent, extremist foreign invaders, with several major period films seen as contributing, under the guise of historical correction, to majoritarian social polarization.

4. Confining Muslim Society to Social and Religious Stereotypes

Certain films have also portrayed Muslim society solely as a hub of conservatism, oppression and criminal networks.

Political Shifts and the Game of Polarization

This shift in Bollywood storytelling began after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, India’s economic liberalization, the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the Kashmir issue. However, a dramatic change in this trend followed the BJP government coming to power in India in 2014. Many big budget films of the current era are seen as specifically promoting a particular political agenda and anti Islamic narrative.

There are allegations that many controversial films are being officially legitimized through state level tax exemptions. As a result, this discriminatory portrayal is becoming normalized in mainstream political and cultural discourse. This negative on screen representation of Muslims is said to be increasing the tendency among ordinary Hindus in real life to maintain distance from Muslims, continually fueling the spread of hatred and communal tension.

An influential industry like Bollywood has, for the sake of business interests and political appeasement, chosen this dangerous path, with the censor board and parts of the media reportedly playing the role of silent supporters.