By Waquar Hasan,
New Delhi, 08 Sep 2015: A movie on Prophet Muhammed has once again caught attention of the Muslim community as it stirred controversy. This time, the movie has not been made to portray a wrong picture of the Prophet or to defame Islam.
The movie ‘Muhammed: The Messenger of God’ has been directed by world-famous Iranian filmmaker, Majid Majidi, who was nominated for Oscar Award in 1998. The director made clear his intention about making of the movie in a press conference in Iran on 18 August. He also explained that he had thought this when the blasphemous cartoon was published in Denmark. “I thought to myself how can they hold an honoring ceremony for me in a country where my beliefs and sanctities are insulted… So, in a letter I said I could not attend the ceremony (in a country) where my holiest sanctities are desecrated. Instead of showing reaction to the insults to Islamic sanctities, it is better to do some action to introduce the Islamic culture and that is why production of the movie ‘Muhammad (PBUH)’ was started 7 years ago”. Veteran artist of the world film industries like A.R. Rahman, prominent Indian musician and two-time Oscar recipient and Vittorio Storaro, renowned Italian cinematographer, have contributed in making of this movie.
The first part of this trilogy biopic of Prophet Muhammed was already released in Iran and at Montreal World Film Festival on 27 August. According to the official website of the movie, in this first part, the film showed the annihilation of King Abraha, who had come out to destroy Kaba one month before the birth of Prophet Muhammed and oppression and injustice used to happen in pagan Arab. “This film depicts the age of paganism and all its oppressions, cruelty and injustice through the eyes of Muhammad up to the age of 13,” the website described about the movie.
Reviews of the film
The Guardian, the leading newspaper of United Kingdom, in a review by Phil Hoad, called the movie as ‘evocative account of Islam’s gestation’. “Majidi chronicles the first ripples of this revolutionary wave in a handsome, pre-CGI-era epic style,” the review noted about the movie. At the same time, Alisa Simon, who also reviewed the movie, is not impressed by this movie but she was impressed with other movies of Majid Majidi. “Although many of Majidi’s earlier films dealt with the spiritual purity that comes with selfless love and deliver a religious rapture of sorts, “Muhammad: The Messenger of God” feels stiff and awkward, burdened rather than elevated by its weighty subject matter,” Alisa criticized the movie. She also is not satisfied with the work of actors and characters. “And it doesn’t help that the characters remain cardboard cutouts of historical figures, never attaining any psychological or emotional life. The actors either overact or look ill at ease,” Alisa further wrote.
Controversial part
After release, the movie has received mixed reaction. While some people have welcomed it, some strongly objected it and sought a ban on it. The Iranian government, which describes itself as an Islamic Republic, has supported in making of this movie. At the same time, Islamic Research Academy associated with Al-Azhar Mosque, has condemned the movie. Sheikh Abdul Azeez Al-Sheikh, Grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, is also against the movie and called it ‘mockery of the prophet’. Saudi Arabia’s council of senior scholars is also not in favor of the film. The council denounced the representation of body of Prophet Muhammed in the film. Raza Academy, an Indian Sunni Muslim organization based in Mumbai, has also demanded the government to impose ban on the movie which it called ‘blasphemous’. They have approached Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, Maharashtra chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis and Iranian consulate to take action against the movie. Basically all the Islamic groups have objected to the visual description of Prophet Muhammed. In the film, Majid did not show the face of the Prophet but it showed his body.
