In a recent development, the film “Kathar Basha Endra Muthuramalingam,” directed by M. Muthaiah, has sparked controversy due to a dialogue change that took place after the movie’s trailer was released. The film, an Indian Tamil-language action drama, stars Arya, Siddhi Idnani, Prabhu, Madhusudhan Rao, Aadukalam Naren, Bhagyaraj, and Singampuli. The film was released on June 2nd to mixed reviews.
Muthaiah, a director from the Thevar community and known for glorifying it in his movies, included a dialogue in the trailer of “Kathar Basha Endra Muthuramalingam” that stated, “Both Allah and Ayyanar (a Hindu god) are the same.” However, upon the film’s release in theaters, the dialogue was modified to “Both worshippers of Allah and Ayyanar are the same.”
This alteration has ignited speculation that Muthaiah may have faced criticism and threats from Islamic organizations who disagreed with equating Allah and Ayyanar.
In Islam, “La ilaha illallah” is an Arabic phrase that translates to “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah” in English. It is known as the Shahada, which is the Islamic declaration of faith and one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. By reciting the Shahada with sincerity and belief, a person professes their acceptance of Allah as the one and only God and the finality of Prophet Muhammad as His messenger. This declaration is considered the foundation of Islamic belief and is recited by Muslims worldwide as an affirmation of their faith in Allah’s oneness and sovereignty.
Given this context, the director’s decision to modify the dialogue suggests a possible attempt to appease the Muslim community who do not consider Ayyanar to be equal to Allah.
This controversy has sparked a reaction among netizens, with many expressing their opinions on social media. Some argue that Muthaiah should focus on promoting tolerance among followers of Islam rather than lecturing Hindus. Others expressed their frustrations saying that in India, Christians follow Christianity, Muslims follow Islam, but Hindus must be secular.
It is worth mentioning that Muthaiah has previously faced criticism for his portrayal of caste in his films. Puthiya Tamizhagam Dr. Krishnasamy has condemned the director for perpetuating caste stereotypes and promoting enmity between castes. Moreover, Muthaiah has been accused of stereotyping Dalit youths as individuals who try to attract upper-caste girls by flaunting expensive clothing, bikes, and other material possessions.
An interesting fact to consider is that actor Arya, who was born with the name Jamshad Cethirakath and follows the Muslim faith, goes by the name Arya specifically for his work in movies. Likewise, his wife Sayessha also belongs to the Muslim community.
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