72 Hoorain: All you need to know about the controversies surrounding the film

Directed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, Bahattar Hoorain is set to release on July 7

72 Hoorain

While the controversies surrounding Sudipto Sen’s The Kerala Story are still fresh in people’s memories, there is another film in the offing which is making headlines for allegedly ‘insulting and disrespecting religion and promoting communal disharmony’. Ever since the release of its official trailer on June 28, upcoming drama film 72 Hoorain (Bahattar Hoorain), which is said to be inspired by true events, has been engulfed in controversies. Helmed by National Award-winning director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, the movie is described as a ‘tragic reminder of the power of manipulation and the urgent need to address the root causes of terrorism’.

Slated to release on July 7, 72 Hoorain stars Aamir Bashir, Pavan Malhotra and Saru Maini, alongside Rasheed Naz, Ashok Pathak, Namrata Dixit, Mukesh Agrohari, Bhavani Bashir Yasir, Narottam Bain and Vijay Sanap, among others. The movie will be simultaneously released in English as well as several Indian regional languages - including Assamese, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.

After the release of the movie’s trailer last month, it was reported that the Central Board of Film Certification denied certification of the trailer. Days later, CBFC declined those claims, stating that the matter was ‘undergoing necessary procedures’. That said, the CBFC also said that the film itself was given an ‘A’ certification on October 4, 2019. Co-produced by Ashoke Pandit, 72 Hoorain premiered at the 2019 International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

The plot explores what is described as ‘manipulation of Muslim teenagers by leaders of terrorist organisations, who lure these youngsters with promises of paradise and 72 hoors (companions), in order to carry out acts of jihad against non-Muslims and commit acts of violence’.

Also read: 72 Hoorain: Makers of film to hold a special screening at Jawaharlal Nehru University on July 4 after facing criticism from CBFC

Speaking of the lastest, an ANI report has claimed that a man, named Saiyad Arifali Mahemmod Ali, has filed a complaint at Goregaon Police Station against the director and producer of the film for ‘insulting and disrespecting his religion, promoting communal disharmony, discrimination, hatred and maligning the image of the Muslim community amongst public’. Recently, Vivekananda Vichar Manch (VVM) organised a screening of the film at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. It was attended by more than 100 students.

Meanwhile, a few Kashmir-based political parties have also raised concerns over the film’s portrayal of ‘terrorist brainwashing’. According to them, the narrative could ‘potentially perpetuate negative stereotypes and distort the intricate dynamics’.

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