Condemning the movie named ‘Dear Friend Hitler’

By: Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

Indian American Intellectual’s Forum [IAIF], which is based in New York City, USA has issued a press release condemning the forthcoming Indian movie named ‘Dear Friend of Hitler’. This movie is being directed by Rakesh Ranjan Kumar and eminent Indian actors Anupam Kher and Neha Dhupia are playing key roles in it.

IAIF in its press release said, “In the history of humanity Hitler is regarded as an ultimate evil that sent six million Jewish to the gas chambers and propelled the world to second world war that caused the death of tens of millions of people. Hence this news has sent shock waves to many Israeli friends of India in Israel, UK , USA and many other countries.”

According to IAIF, this movie is funded by notorious drug and arms baron dealer Dawood Ibrahim, who operates from United Arab Emirates and Pakistan and it is even reported that Dawood works for Pakistani intelligence agency named ISI [Inter Service Intelligence].

According to the official synopsis of the film, it gives audiences a glimpse into Hitler's "insecurities, his charisma, his paranoia and his sheer genius."

According to latest news, actor Anupam Kher staunchly defended his decision to play Adolf Hitler, finally was forced to step out from this movie at the protest of thousands of his fans. In a statement he said, “Considering the ill-will that the project is generating among my fans, I wish to withdraw from it as I respect their sentiments.”

Meanwhile, Neha Dhupia showed that she has it in her to take on the challenging role of Eva Braun at the launch party of Dear Friend Hitler.

Neha is excited to play the Eva Braun role. She is already researching for her character by watching historical footage and past films made on Eva. The former Miss India (2002) is slowly building her resume with diverse acting roles such as playing a village thug Munni gangster in With Love To Obama, and her first international project, IFC's Bollywood Hero, opposite Chris Kattan.

It is a million dollar question as to why suddenly growing Indian cine Capital Bollywood has decided to make a movie on a devil like Hitler. Many believe that this movie might be a sabotaging project of some anti-Indian elements to some how put Indo-Israel and Indo-US relations into jeopardy. On the other hand, some believe that, this very project shows clearly how anti-Semitism is spreading wings in some of the Asian nations.

In most of the Muslim countries, anti-Semitism and anti-US or anti-Israel sentiment is secretly funded by Iran or some other terror patron nations. Iran in particular, spends millions of dollars every year in spreading hate speech in the Muslim nations through publications, movies and other media. On the other hand, controversial television channels like Al Jazeera or Peace TV are working with a very specific goal and mission of poisoning the minds of Muslim masses against United States, Israel and the West by portraying the very theme of War on Terror as ‘War against Islam’.

Mumbai terrorist attacks awaken Bollywood

Salman Khan, of the reigning trinity of Bollywood superstars (who happen to be minority Muslims), dances with Ali Larter in 2007’s “Marigold.”

The India film stars dictate fashion and customs, but they usually aren't politically active. The recent killings seem to have changed that.

By Anupama Chopra | December 28, 2008

Reporting from Mumbai -- Amitabh Bachchan slept with a gun. On Nov. 26, as 10 terrorists orchestrated mayhem at Mumbai's landmark hotels and train station, Bollywood's most enduring superstar pulled out his revolver.

The following day, he wrote on his blog: "As an Indian, I need to live in my own land, on my own soil with dignity and without fear. And I need an assurance on that. I am ashamed to say this and not afraid to share this now with the rest of the cyber world, that last night as the events of the terror attack unfolded in front of me, I did something for the first time and one that I had hoped never ever to be in a situation to do. Before retiring for the night, I pulled out my licensed .32 revolver and put it under my pillow. For a very disturbed sleep."

As the bloody face-off between the terrorists and Indian commandos continued for three days, Aamir Khan, another major star and avid blogger, wrote: "Terrorists are not Hindu or Muslim or Christian. They are not people of religion or God . . . an incident such as this really exposes how ill equipped we are as a society as far as proper leaders go. We desperately need young, dynamic, honest, intelligent and upright leaders who actually care for the country."

More: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/asia/la-ca-bollywood28-2008dec28,0,4833735.story

Source: LA Times

Outcry as Bollywood rushes to make Mumbai Terror: The Movie

Rhys Blakely | December 16, 2008

Bollywood may be famed for its relentless energy, but its rush to dramatise the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last month has caused public outcry.

In the days after the strikes, in which more than 170 died, 18 film titles on the theme of "Terror at the Taj" were registered with the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association.

The first - 26/11 at Mumbai Operation - was applied for on November 28, when the Indian Army was still fighting heavily armed militant gunmen, room to room, in two luxury hotels.

The producer behind it, Vijay Verma, of Salt and Pepper Entertainment, said that his script was ready and shooting was set to begin in a matter of weeks. "What happened must be brought before the public," he said.

Few onlookers agree, however, and the unseemly haste to immortalise the attacks has had poor reviews.

Ram Gopal Verma, one of the best-known Indian directors, and his actor son were among the first people allowed inside the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where scores of people died.

"Obviously his intention was to make a film of the attacks," Komal Nahta, the publisher of The Film Street Journal, a Bollywood trade magazine, said. "And the media went at him with hammer and tongs."

The public distaste may reflect the sensationalist treatments often meted out by Bollywood. Indian cinema has a history of films that address current affairs but most dealing with terrorism have used real-life events as springboards for crudely nationalistic action movies, critics say.

"There have been many attempts to make films on terrorism but 90 per cent fall into jingoistic, partisan points of view," Piyush Jha, a director, said. "Indian films don't explore Islamic fundamentalism...India looks at things in black and white."

The titles registered after the Mumbai attacks - which include Taj Terror, Bird's Point of View of Taj Terror and 11/26 Operation Taj - have convinced many that the producers are unlikely to break new ground.

There are also doubts about whether India has the stomach for films based on an event that was beamed live into millions of homes for 60 hours. Mahesh Ramanathan, the chief operating officer for Reliance Big, one of the biggest Bollywood studios, said: "Television pushed the reality of the attacks into people's faces. They won't watch the same thing in the cinema."

There are, however, indications that Indian audiences who are more used to lavish musicals will watch films that examine terrorism from fresh perspectives.

Mr Jha's next film, Sikander, follows a Kashmiri boy who is drawn into Islamist extremism with a view to explaining how it is possible for militant groups to recruit members.

It is based on extensive research and is being billed by its producers as "a human story that will resonate with international audience".

Such films are still seen as niche titles but are growing in appeal, experts say. The most prominent film of this new wave, A Wednesday, drew critical acclaim and achieved commercial success this summer.

Neeraj Pandey, its director, said: "It's only 100 minutes long, there are no songs, it deals with a serious subject: it doesn't confirm to the mainstream perception of Hindi-language cinema." He suggested that the Mumbai attacks may foster similar projects.

Source: The Australian

Iman issues fatwa against Bollywood star who let Madame Tussaud's make his image in wax

Bollywood actor has had a fatwa issued against him for allowing Madame Tussaud's in London to make his image in wax.

Salman Khan, star of more than 50 movies, unveiled the statue himself last week and described it as an honour.

Most Indians would agree, but Mufti Salim Ahmad Qasmi, a Muslim cleric in India, said the statue is illegal according to the Sharia, which forbids depictions of all living creatures, Mohammed in particular.

The Dioband Seminary which the mufti runs has already issued a fatwa against Khan for dancing at a Hindu festival last month.

The actor says his "bad boy" image is to blame as fellow Muslim and even bigger star Shah Rukh Khan is also in the wax museum and hasn't been singled out.

Film critic Parsa Rao feels Khan doesn't have much to worry about.

"This is just nonsense that no one pays any attention to," he said yesterday.

"These fatwas are becoming a joke."

Source: Daily Mail
H/T: FrontPage Magazine