Shaheer Ahmed
The erroneous and largely stereotyped portrayal of Pakistani Muslims in Bollywood has drawn criticism.
Additionally, it is common for Bollywood movies to propagate unfavourable preconceptions about Pakistani Muslim women. They are frequently portrayed as being powerless, meek, and lacking in agency. In addition, Pakistani Muslim women are portrayed in numerous Bollywood movies as being highly exoticized and sexualized.
Zunaira Inam Khan, the wife of Pakistan’s heartthrob Usman Mukhtar, who is a frequent user of social media and is outspoken about her opinions on social issues, was one of many who brought attention to this issue. She works at the Institute of Regional Studies as a productive associate research analyst.
Taking to Twitter, she specifically referenced to the Muslim women in the recent films, “Pathaan” and “Tiger” played by Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif.
The 27-year-old stated, “So let me get this straight, Bollywood hates Pakistani men and shows them all as namazi topi-wearing fanatics but it fetishizes Pakistani women as sexy, bikini-wearing ISI agents? I…don’t know how to feel about this.”
So let me get this straight, Bollywood hates Pakistani men and shows them all as namazi topi wearing fanatics but it fetishizes Pakistani women as sexy, bikini wearing ISI agents?
I…don't know how to feel about this.#Pathaan #Tiger— Zunaira Inam Khan (@ZunairaInam) January 27, 2023
Pakistani Muslims are frequently portrayed in Bollywood films as the “other,” one-dimensional, and too simplistic characters. This may contribute to damaging preconceptions about Muslims in general as well as the marginalisation of Pakistani Muslims in India.
Pakistani Muslims are often portrayed in Bollywood movies as one-dimensional, overly simplistic people who are the “other,” rather than as themselves. As well as perpetuating negative preconceptions about Muslims in general, this may contribute to the marginalisation of Pakistani Muslims in India.
