8/14/2019 HINDI FILM DHOKHA AND BEING A MUSLIM IN INDIA

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If Kabir Khan in Shahrukh Khan starred Chak De India puts question mark on theloyalty of the Indian Muslims towards Indian nation, here is Zaid Ahmad Khan(ACP), a true, secular, modern Muslim struggling to prove his credentials of beinga loyal citizen towards India. Mukesh Bhatts Muzammil Ibrahim starred Dhokha orBetrayal is the Bollywoods latest offering that raises several questions aboutMuslims and their identity in India. Coming for the first time out the rhetoric ofhis fluffy musicals, Mukesh Bhatts Dhokha tries to get to the bottom of delicatequestion of Hindu-Muslim antagonism. Dhokha displays the actuality of terrorism

and its endless costs. As someone has rightly remarked partition is an unendingprocess, beginning of the cultivation of categorical Hindu and Muslim dichotomy,the process that was instigated with partition. After 60 years of partition, thereis a continuing dilemma on the subject of Muslims constituting 16% of the totalpopulation in a Hindu majoritarian state.

Muslims in Dhokha are symbolized as misguided, disloyal other worldlycommunities that have taken other form of living to retaliate namely worldcelebrated term jihad (holy war). Zaid Ahmad (Muzammil Ibrahim) a true Muslimnationalist, police officer is suspected of his fidelity towards Hindu India. Onthe night of a lethal bombing at the New Century Club, Mumbai, Zaid helps thehorrified victims in the blast. Zaid affirms of donating blood to one of theinjured supposed to be a Hindu. The dilemma mounts when the father of the injured

repudiates to receive any aid from Zaid as he would like to see his daughter deadrather than letting the blood of a Muslim, a traitor, perfidious creature to flowin his daughters veins. Though the film progressively engages itself in denouncingthe people who spread terror in the name of religion and tries to find out reasonsfor the root cause of terrorism still it doesnt provide the solution toIslamophobia thats deeply inculcated into the psyche of general masses. When themedia reports about the blast without investigation jihadi group compulsorily issupposed to take the take the responsibility. In an interview with Anti TerroristSquad head Raj Mehra (Gulshan Grover) it is made clear that Jihadists or JihadiSanghathan by referring to Muslims are responsible for the Blast. How often do wesee naxalites being termed as Jihadists? By referring jihad without any inquiryinvolvement of Muslims becomes necessary. Islam is seen as equivalent of jihad andMuslims as Jihadists thus terrorists as for the mainstream goes. Muslims are shown

as community never to be believed, as they can be betray at any instance yeh qaumJo hai in ka koi bharosa nahin kabhi bhi kisi ko dhoka desakte hai bloodytraitors. When Zaid, an honorable police inspector is enquired of his wifesinvolvement in the blast, a question that rises in mind is can a Muslim be anIndian?

Zaid till now respected, trendy, dedicated young Indian Muslim abruptlyfalls in an ambush of proving his dependability as true Muslim Indian policeofficer. He is typified as person who has a bit commonnality with Arabs hindisamajh main nahin aati Arbi (Arabic) main samjaoon. There are two sections ofHindus represented in Dhokha. First is the section who believe in Zaidsinnocence despite knowing infidelity of his wife. This section supporting a Muslimis branded as pseudo liberals, pseudo secularists by the opposition. The other

group has always remained suspicious of the Muslim loyalty towards India. Theirterminology for Muslims appears to be as terrorists, treacherous (jis thali mainkhate hai usi main chedte hai).

At the end even it is shown how the injustices done to person cantransform human beings into human bombs. The question that will remain is why onlyMuslims have to prove their loyalty towards India. There can a bad Hindu, butshe/he is never labeled as anti nationalist. Like Hindus, even Muslims havestruggled and strived for the independence of India.