Film on 1921 Malabar rebellion triggers row

Right wing outfits up in arms against Ashik Abu’s period film

The announcement regarding a film on Malabar Rebellion hero has triggered a controversy in Kerala with right wing outfits coming out against the project.

The controversy began after director Ashik Abu announced a period film on Variyam Kunnath Kunhahmmed Haji with actor Prithviraj in the lead.

The state unit of BJP and Hindu Aikya Vedi a conglomeration of Hindu outfits including VHP have opposed the project. BJP state general secretary M.T. Ramesh on Tuesday warned that the film could cause unrest in Kerala society if it fails to do justice to history and project the turn of historic events in the right perspective.

While Variyam Kunnath Haji is hailed as the hero of Malabar Rebellion of 1921, the right wing outfits consider him as the slaughterer of Hindus. A couple of years ago former Mizoram Governor

Kummanam Rajashekharan had described Haji as the first Jehadi, triggering a major controversy.

A section of historians, though, say that Haji had fought mainly against the British. Since, the British had kept upper caste Hindus in crucial positions to seek their support, the Hindus also became the target of the rebellion.

Meanwhile, three more movies are being planned on the same subject — 1921 Malabar Rebellion.

While director P.T. Kunju Muhammed’s ‘Saheed

Variyamkunnan’ and Ibrahim Vengara’s ‘The Great Variyamkunnan’ would be depicting the heroics of the central character, the third project being proposed by BJP fellow traveller and filmmaker Ali Akbar would be depicting Variyamkunnan as a villain who converted Hindus and killed those who resisted his excesses.

Actor Prithviraj wrote about the project on his Facebook page on Tuesday. “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.”

The actor has invited the wrath of the right wing outfits which have asked him to back out of the project.

Variyamkunnan Haji along with his friend Ali Musaliyar stood up against the mighty British Empire. They raised an army of 75,000 fighters who not only fought and defeated the British but also forced them to concede an area which was under Madras Presidency.