Films and controversies always go hand in hand, sometimes it benefits the film by giving nationwide publicity free of cost. But sometimes it also leads to postponement or even a permanent ban. This times it was the turn for Variankunnan, a upcoming film on the life of Variankunnathu Kunjahammed Haji. Recently the actor, Prithviraj Sukumaran and director, Ashiq Abu decided to back out of the film. This happened due to the raging controversy alleging the makers of glorifying Haji.
When asked about the reason for withdrawing from the film, the director answered that producers weren’t of the same opinion. Earlier it was announced that Prithviraj Sukumaran would play the lead role of Haji. On this decision Congress leader, T Siddique named the actor and director duo as ‘spineless’ for pull their hands off.
Variankunnathu Kunjahammed Haji is a controversial figure in history, mostly in the southern part of India. He was the leader of the Moplah Rebellion for which he was executed by the Britishers. Some people treat Haji as a freedom fighter who fought for freedom and his religion. While others consider him to be the master mind of Moplah Riots that saw the genocide of Hindus in Eranadu and Valluvanadu taluks in south Malabar in 1920s.
Even today many historians are divided on the riots of Moplah. The riots took place after the beginning of Khilafat Movement where muslims protested to restore the Caliphate or ‘Khalifa’ of the Ottoman Empire. But soon this movement turned into a communal spree resulting in genocide of Hindus known as Moplah Riots in Kerala.
