A History of Muslim Representation in Hindi Cinema

In the realm of cinematic representation, it is often acknowledged that an ‘authentic’ portrayal is elusive. Any claim to perfect representation inevitably obscures complexities and offers only a limited glimpse of reality. Cinema, renowned for its capacity to deceive, is often seen as a reflection of socio-political realities, providing a mirror to contemporary events while shaping the minds of its audience. However, film scholars have long observed that cinematic narratives are frequently incomplete, distancing themselves from historical realities. Instead, popular films tend to rely on simplified binaries—good versus evil—where characters are exaggerated, inauthentic, and crafted primarily to satisfy the cultural desires of dominant social classes.