Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture

Presentation of Islamic Symbols in Indian Cinemas a Critical Study
Sumaiya Ahmad

Abstract
Cinema as a medium gained popularity in this country. This study examines the Indian film industry very often portrays the Islamic symbol with type caste image, which is negative; Muslims are being looked as distrustful people and are being symbolized as terrorists. Indian film industry adds fuel to the fire by making a lot of movies on Muslims and presenting them as terrorists and negative ones. Bollywood cinema also creates the stereotypical image of Muslim characters replete with peculiar forms of cultural symbols like ‘beard’ and ‘caps’ besides portraying the Muslims either as feudal landlords ,villains and gangsters. The image constructions of Muslims in Bollywood cinema have far reaching effects in shaping the dominant discourse regarding Indian Muslims that is not restricted to only Indian population but it also crosses borders to reach the diasporic community for mass conservation. In such a situation, symbol regarding Muslims, which shapes the dominant political discourses of equating Muslims with the ‘terrorist/anti-national Other’. This article critically study that Indian cinema specially, Hindi cinema misrepresented the Indian Muslims in terms of characters and protagonists. Hindi films have wrongfully portrayed the Muslims either as non- modern feudal characters or as anti-national, terrorist, villain, or anti-social characters. Moreover, the problem of an increasingly ‘missing Muslim’ can be found in an era of liberalization and globalization. This study is being carried out to scientifically and critically search that how and to what extent Indian Cinema is distorting and changing the Islamic symbol.

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