After Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran announced his new film with Aashiq Abu, based on the life of the Muslim leader of the Malabar rebellion of 1921, right-wing outfits have come out with protests.
Prithviraj will play the title role in the period drama titled Variyamkunnan, that will portray the legacy of Vaariyan Kunnath Kunjahmmed Haji who was the face of the 1921 Malabar Rebellion waged against the British Rule. Announcing the project, Prithviraj wrote: “He stood up against an empire that ruled a quarter of the world. Etched out his own country with an army that waged a never before war against the British. Though history was burned and buried, the legend lived on! The legend of a leader, a soldier, a patriot. A film on the man who became the face of the 1921 Malabar revolution. #Vaariyamkunnan. Filming begins in 2021. On the 100th anniversary.”
According to reports, the Sangh Parivar has asked Prithviraj to not take up the role and demanded that the film production be scrapped.
While a section in Kerala hail Haji as a leader who laid down his life for the nation fighting British colonialism, Hindu right-wing groups claim he was a leader of fanatics who targeted Hindus in Eranadu and Valluvanadu taluks in south Malabar.
The Kerala-based Hindu Aikya Vedi has declared a year-long campaign by the outfit across the country "to expose the atrocities committed on Hindus" under the leadership of Haji and others during the Malabar rebellion.
As the controversy rages on, BJP leader and filmmaker Ali Akbar also announced a film on the 1921 uprising “to expose the true face of the uprising”. Referring to Hindus killed during the uprising, he said, “They are the heroes, who were not ready to change religion, those who gave Ram’s name to the enemy. Those who fought till the last minute…”
Besides these, two more movies on the same subject have been announced. Award winning director P.T. Kunjumuhammed and theatre artist and director Ibrahim Vengara are also working on the same subject.
This is not the first time that the Malabar rebellion has inspired a movie. In 1988, filmmaker I.V Sasi had directed a movie titled 1921 based on the Malabar rebellion. Actor T.G. Ravi portrayed the character of Kunjahammed Haji in the movie which featured Mammootty as the protagonist.
-with inputs from PTI
