Here's how Zoya Akhtar reacted when an Instagram user asked the director to name one Muslim character with "one positive story that is not oppressed" from her work.
Zoya Akhtar has been in the news as the second season of her and Reema Kagti's show Made In Heaven dropped last week after a wait of more than four years. The director, who made her directorial debut with Luck By Chance in 2009, was questioned by an Instagram user recently over the portrayal of Muslim characters in her shows and films.
"Zoya can you (name) normal muslim character in your shows. One positive story that is not oppressed", wrote the netizen. The user's reference was to the character of Shehnaz, played by Dia Mirza in Made In Heaven. In the Prime Video show, Shehnaz is wrecked by her husband's decision to get married again after several years.
While polygamy is allowed in Islam, Shehnaz could not envision being separated from her kids and cut off her wrist. When Karan Mehra, one of the central protagonists played by Arjun Mehra, saved Shehnaz, she realises her mistake and decided to challenge polygamy in the court.
Reacting to the Instagram user, Zoya Akhar pointed out all the Muslim characters in her films which she has portrayed in positive light. She wrote, "Zaffar Khan and Tanveer in Luck By Chance. Imran and Laila in ZNMD. Farah Ali in Dil Dhadakne Do. Practically everyone in Gully Boy. Sarfaraz Khan and Leila Shirazi, Kabir, Faiza and Nawab in Made In Heaven."
Zaffar Khan, the superstar, and Tanveer, a prominent journalist, in Luck by Chance were played by Hrithik Roshan and Ashish Sawhny respectively. While Katrina Kaif portrayed the carefree diving instructor Laila, Farhan Akhtar played an advertising copywriter named Imran inZindagi Milegi Na Dobara.
In Dil Dhadakne Do, dancer Farah Ali, played by Anushka Sharma, lives entirely on her own terms, in contrast to other wealthy characters. In Gully Boy, both the central protagonists Murad and Safeena, played by Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, were Muslims. Murad played an aspiring rapper, while Safeena was his independent girlfriend.
While Zoya's reply was appreciated by most of the netizens, the particular Instagram user replied her back, "Gully boys character are stereotypes character. Not normal. You liberal elite cannot understand that." Another netizen countered the filmmaker and said, "Faiza is beaten by her husband and oppressed by her dad, Gully boy showed how they live in ghettos and are wife beaters and marry younger 2nd wives, Farah Ali was also not supported by her parents and I had no idea Kabir was muslim lmao. Like just show a normal non conservative muslim family."
After Made In Heaven, Zoya Akhtar's next release is The Archies, which marks the Bollywood debut of three star kids Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda, and Khushi Kapoor. The teenage musical romantic drama is expected to drop on Netflix on November 24 this year.
READ | Zoya Akhtar hits back at trolls calling The Archies 'too white': 'How do we define what an Indian looks like'
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 "Zoya Akhtar/File photo")
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