MUMBAI: Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and advocate Majeed Memon attended the launch of director Haroon Raashied’s Khuda Hafizz recently at the Renaissance Club in suburban Mumbai.
The film, produced by Saima Multimedieas, carries the tagline – ‘All Muslims are Not Terrorists, but why all Terrorists are Muslims.’
The cast of the film has not yet been decided, but the director says, “I first want to launch the film and take the blessings of Mahesh Bhatt and Majeed Memon as also their feedback on Muslims and terrorism, because that’s the subject matter of the film.”
Advocate Majeed Memon who was the chief guest on the occasion, begged to differ on the tagline of the film, saying, “I don’t think all terrorists are Muslims. Terrorism is not permitted in Islam. It prohibits killing. The youth of today are turning to terrorism, only when subjected to continuous hate. It’s a manifestation of our failure that learned Muslims are taking part in such activities. I don’t know the subject of Haroon Raashied’s film, but I am sure that it will spread the message of love and correct the steps that youth are taking to unknowingly. It is a very challenging issue and I hope he deals with it tactfully.”
Bhatt, who was also present on the occasion, said that ‘Islam Phobia’, which bombarded the city in the aftermath of the 1993 blasts in Mumbai, is still rampant. “I had made my film Zakhm, based on the subject, in 1999. I hope films that show social injustice and depreciation will come forth and deal with such issues. I want more filmmakers to come forward and deal with such sensitive social issues.”
