On diving deeper into the reasons for the rapid conversion, people found the doctrines of Islam to be lucid and pragmatic along with emanating peace and beauty; contradictory to the conventional beliefs of the masses. This peace emerges through logical values, further strengthened by a few cherished, obligated, and innocuous practices. Despite the thriving statistics, the irony lies in the fact of the misinterpretation and consequent negative media coverage against Muslims and Islam. Exceeding from the TV screens and insular psyche, the wildfire has spread out on the streets and within Muslim homes, burning their core practices; of 

Take a look at how the political phenomenon of 

 and the social issue of oppression is blamed upon the peaceful practices of Islam, accelerating the viciousness of islamophobia.

: A notion firmly rooted within Islam, Hijab is a concept centering on the privacy and modesty of both men and women. In a misogynist world, however, this doctrine has become a case of a behavioral norm rather than a religious moral by making the subject women-centric, with hijab exclusively being associated with the headscarves worn by women. Nevertheless, the hijab serves as a crucial source of identity for numerous women across the globe; something that they are robbed of. Labeled as “

”, the public expression of hijab is, unfortunately, a very controversial issue in the contemporary world. While people casually boast about the freedom of wearing anything, debates have been ignited over Qur’anic misinterpretation and female seclusion, over the mere wearing of this small piece of cloth, with the Indian state of 

 being the most recent example. Banned, penalized, and looked down upon in various countries, the unarmed cloth continues to be veiled in controversy.

: One of the prime forms of worship in Islam, Salah, better known as 

, is a ritual prayer whose performance is 

. An integral part of the lifestyle of Muslims, these prayers call for discipline and punctuality, other than being a form of worship. While people can perform the prayers individually at their homes, it is highly preferred to pray in a congregation. One can only imagine how this 15-minutes, almost-hushed act, has been put up on the stage of the turbulent controversy. Salah in the open land endures the label of an international conspiracy and a threat to the nation, with the latest example being the protests in 

 against Friday prayers in public spaces. “

I will not stop my fight until this becomes illegal

. In countries where grounds are turned into political/religious battlefields every day, a peaceful gathering for an acutely vital purpose, what may even appear as emanating secularism, is protested against. “

People are forced to pray out in the open because we have no other choice

, co-founder of the Muslim council in Gurgaon; a place where attempts to build mosques have been met with hostility and resistance. On an international level, 

 is notoriously known to have banned prayers in three jurisdictions in the 

 autonomous region. The confiscation of prayer mats and intrusive homestay programs add to the imposed restrictions on peaceful religious practice.

: The English word ‘Mosque’ is derived from the Arabic term, 

, which means a place for people to prostate; commonly viewed as a position during worship. As a gathering place, the mosque intends to guide and instruct people in their religious and terrestrial obligations while directing a healthy relationship with their environment, thus playing an authoritative role in the cultural and social lives of Muslims. The instilled hate and misconceptions by non-Muslim extremist groups have portrayed the mosque as a center of disorder, which has led to numerous attacks on mosques globally. The sites have become targets for vandalism and shootings across the world. Whether it is the 

 dispute in India, or of course, the recent fixations of saffron flags over mosque tombs by 

 groups across different states, the religious sites face destruction due to fraudulent political and vicious personal reasons through elements of destruction and political gimmicks.

: Considered the sacred word of God superseding every previous writing, the Quran is the holy book of Muslims. According to Islamic belief, the Quran is the literal transcript of God which was revealed to the 

. Other than serving as a guide to belief in One God, the Quran explains the purpose of existence, and teaches moral, social, and spiritual values, intending to lead a dignified life in sync with the Islamic morals for a successful hereafter. With the 

 being notorious instances, the burning of this holy book emerges as a new, vicious medium to carry out islamophobia in the contemporary world. Violent narratives like vilifying the community and the justification of terrorism, are created by distorting the Arabic texts in the book according to the 

 of fanatics, misconstruing Islamic concepts.

As the core practices of Islam continue to face distortion in the know-it-all world, nothing but unfiltered 

The Ever-Trundling Wheels of Islamophobia

To what extent will a group of incredibly beautiful, young women parading a glamorous stage in their glitzy dresses empower a hesitant 14-year old mind? How relevant will the platform be to the girls and women watching from the sidelines? Above all, how will they define success after watching these women being objectified and scored for how they have presented their bodies?

’, the conflicting opinions on beauty pageants was brought back into the spotlight. After 

, the 21-year-old Sandhu stands as the third Indian to win the crown. Just as Sandhu orchestrated history, proud proclamations flowered upon her, on making India regain the title after a dry spell of 21 years. However, the event once again rang a bell in the conscious minds, who questioned the significance of such contests. People pondered upon its impact on the lives of women who did not meet the conventional standards of beauty.

The earliest beauty pageants are known to have been originated during the Greek civilization, although the historical evidence does not mention the inclusion of women. Instead, a yearly event called the 

 was held for the men as a contest based on their physique. The first modern beauty contest, staged by one of America’s greatest showmen, 

, dates back to 1854, which catered to the audience’s desire for commercial entertainment. Thenceforth, beauty pageants impenitently perpetuated the concept of the “

,” with their racist eligibility criterion. Whether it be in 1923, when the first feature of African-Americans in the contests was as slaves during a dance performance, or in 2019, when contests like 

 shortlisted only fair-skinned women, reinforcing India’s obsession with the problematic notions of “

Other than the skin tones and body measurements, pageants have also dictated the age, marital, and motherhood statuses, with “

” being a prominent criterion to participate. For instance, until 1999, married, divorced, and women who had undergone abortion were debarred participation in 

. As contests continue to stipulate these rules to meet the inane beauty standards, one expecting change over the years returns in the doldrums. 

 deprecates the narrow interpretations of beauty in a 2019 article for the 

A woman who is old enough to be considered legally an adult, but still young enough to look overtly youthful, unencumbered by the duties of marriage, totally sexually available, and god-forbid, clearly not burdened by the ugliness of motherhood

Even with issues like body positivity attaining the deserved media attention, pageants continue to be an exclusive clique with minimal representation of plumper figures and stretch marks; which perhaps is more standard and relevant for the masses.

Thus, putting the idealized versions of beauty on a competitive stage, beauty pageants have traditionally focused on ranking and judging the physical features of the contestants, in return for a royal title along with a considerable sum of money to the winner. However, with the revolutionizing views of the world, these contests have subsumed aspects of talent, personality, and intelligence within their judging criteria, to an extent. Moreover, the four major international pageants have claimed to step ahead of their makeup rooms, and glide with the environmental consciousness wave. The reigning titleholders are given the role of spokesperson for environmental organizations, wherein they dedicate the year to address issues of concern. 

” round in the 1970s, wherein contestants shoulder charity work in their countries.

However, this raised another question. Short of pictures with slum kids and flowering speeches, to what expanse can a miss universe be considered a human rights advocate? “

Let’s talk about more important things happening worldwide,

” said Sandhu, whilst participating in an event in Israel, blithely forgetting the country’s vicious settlement and suppression policy against Palestinians; an ‘important issue’ which neither the organizers nor the participants took up. Amongst global concerns and boycott calls, some contestants used a “

” hashtag while posing with Palestinian costumes and food as the systematic erasure continued. With a touch of politics, the event came to a successful end.

The humanitarian aspect appears as a farce to many, in the context of a massively financed and marketed event that is calculatedly endorsed by leading brands of cosmetics and couture. Home to the booming beauty and cosmetic business, India’s valuation of beauty markets is estimated to be close to USD 30 billion by 2025. As these markets continue to nourish the unrealistic beauty standards, self-esteem lessens, leading to an eventual growth of body image issues.

In a response to another criticism of such contests, Miss Universe Iraq described the event as an opportunity, which women choose, to empower themselves. Although the route may be empowering to some, one is bound to question the worth of it in the face of increasing poverty, corruption, and mental health. Moreover, can the route to celebrating feminine beauty be something else than creating a perfect mannequin?

Pageants: A Beauty Concert or A Beastly Affair?

Imagine a world where each year, a government legitimizes the execution of every criminal activity for 12 hours, irrespective of the atrociousness level. This idea was artificially materialized through the cinematic franchise of James Demonaco, with the establishment of his “Purge” series. The series, through its apparent four films, riped into a successful political allegory.

In a dystopian iteration of the United States, an unusual annual tradition called “

” is implemented by an organization called the New Founding Fathers, in an attempt to tackle the rising social unrest and unemployment. Short of aiming at the top-level government officials and discharging weapons of mass destruction, committing every criminal act is legalized for the American citizens for 12 hours within this tradition.

On the surface, the purge turns out to be a successful economic scheme for its supporters. The tradition possesses an ostensible motive – to efface unemployment and the pent-up public aggression so that people act as more diligent citizens for the remaining 364 days of the year. On the other hand, refuting the purge and taking a humane approach stands the “other side”, who view it as nothing more than a heinous manoeuvre through which the minorities encounter the brunt of carnage every year.

For a sane minority living under the regime of the 

, Demonaco’s theme may not be very peculiar. The dystopia displayed in the films is nothing short of a real picture within the “democratic” government where mob lynchings, discriminatory bills & brutality against minorities occupy a vast stage. Where the horrors of the cinematic Purge are brought to a halt within 12 hours, 

 on a muted level. Thus, the only difference between the two comes out to be the time period.

Focusing on a privileged white family inadvertently taking in a homeless bloodied black man in their mansion on the purge night, the first film acquaints the audience with how the purge functions, while focusing on the theme of 

 concepts well known in our country. In India, 57% of the national income is held by the top 10% rich population, while the bottom 50% accounts for a mere 13% of the national income. With these statistics, India was labelled as “

a poor and very unequal country, with an affluent elite”,

Being a reciprocal of the death rate, the poor in India have been facing a purge since time immemorial, as the rich corner a huge part of the wealth by using crony capitalism, inheritance, and an ignorant government as their weapons. The most recent political issue on the matter is the 

. While road accidents, starvation and suicide accounted for the death of 900 people, 8700 people, most of them migrant workers, were killed on railway tracks amid the lockdown. The bogus statement by our own rendition of the “New founding fathers” of “

” was used as a weapon against the families of the deceased. A weapon, sharper than those depicted in the Purge films.

, the theme of class and race went beyond the gated community of the previous family, and the real motive of the tradition went above the comment of “

”. Set in the city of Los Angeles, the film centred on an unfortunate diverse group, against the right-wing extremists and street gangs, who are under the influence of the politicians creating illusions of patriotism and Christianity to orchestrate and justify violence against the vulnerable groups, on the purge night. This illusion of patriotism and religion is something we witness on an extensive level nowadays through the flowering words of our leaders. Words, impactful enough to instigate the violence the new founding fathers in the film aim for. This takes us back to the 

. Bearing the blood of 53 people, the riots erupted on Feb 23, a day before BJP leader 

 made hateful remarks and called for the forceful dismission of the 

. What followed was a three-day purge with underlying slogans ranging from “

”. However, instead of Kapil Mishra, who vowed to “

’, the accusation of the conspiracy of the violence was put on the anti-CAA protesters, who were mostly 

. The purgers walked out free, as if the 12 hour period was completed.

In recent news, an oath to harm Muslims if necessary for the formation of a “

, hundreds of monks and right-wing Hindu activists rose in unison at the event held between 17 and 19 December 2021. Our politicians stay silent through their statement, “

if 100 of us are ready to kill millions of them, then we will win and make India a Hindu nation

”. As many of such verbal, as well as physical actions, (given the rate of mob lynchings), occur in the country, the voices of the victims are pitched in the coffins built by the media. The media was another important theme of the film. As the New Founding Fathers create an 

 of a free press, the voices of resistance are drowned out by the pro-purge voices. This resembles an issue India is already acquainted with, as politics and media 

The third film in the franchise, titled “

” follows a senator named Charlie Roan, an anti-purge candidate who wants to overturn the establishment for good. Thus, she becomes the perfect target for the New Founding Fathers who plan to assassinate her under the pretence of the purge. Charlie Roan here, reflects the dangers of standing against the government, something a few brave hearts in our country dare to endure and face the consequences respectively. The detaining of protesters against any discriminatory government step, being the most known example; whether it be the peaceful dissent of the young students, or the sharing of a toolkit to help the farmers protest against the farm laws. The film goes forward to present resistance on an extensive scale with more members calling out the purge for what it is: a government-mandated genocide of the minorities. Sounds familiar?

One of the recent instalments of the franchise released in 2018 traces the origins of the new founding fathers and their tradition while simultaneously focusing on how quickly people accept and normalize a thing so malignant to certain sections of society. Such people can be termed as “

” in our popular and so-called “democratic” culture. Similar followers of the Modi government uncritically accept false information as the gospel truth. The first purge here is referred to as an experiment within Staten Island in New York. A place, which can reflect the city of 

, which, with innumerable killings under the name of “

”, enforced disappearances, sexual abuse and torture have been in a state of purge for ages. An “

” originating way back, spreading all over the country.

Considering the latest, 2021 edition of the franchise, one can only wonder how loyal does our government aim to be, with a title as sinister as “

India: An Eternal Purge within the Democracy

The brown locks are perfectly synchronized with the hue of the enticing eyes, which are curtained by the long lashes. Lashes, as long as their list of murders; locks, as tangled as their psyche. “Jawline”, as sharp as the weapons they might have used to mercilessly kill the innocent human beings who comparatively were not as good looking as required in order to sympathize with.

 were found guilty for their role in the death of a mother, 

Finding him guilty on two counts of vehicular homicide, Herring was sentenced to nine years in Florida state prison for the first count and a total of 15 years for the second

. It was a quite transparent of a case, where one would expect the reactions of sympathy for the mother-daughter duo and expressions of rage for the street racers. But if the world was as facile, I would not be here writing this article.

’ Cameron Herring’s sentencing left thousands of people divided. It was his looks and his stares while sitting in the courtroom, as a consequence of felony, that became a source for the people to reject the claims and call for a second chance, claiming that his punishment was too much for an accident. Sadly, this is not something new to the corrupt and sick world.

On a more extensive level, appears the case of the notorious serial killer, 

, a man who killed over thirty women back in 1979. Bundy is known to have received fan mails, empathizing and supporting him, while being put on trial. “

.” Tweets like these were trending since the premiering of the series ‘

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

’, which is known to have surged jam-packed tweets, romanticizing the killer, and not focusing on what the series truly meant to bring out to the world.

Being attracted and to develop a sexual interest for those who commit crimes is defined as 

. Given the human curiosity, it is somewhat natural to be intrigued by the nature of the serial killers in order to understand the individuals on a human level. This has led to the widespread popularity of films and documentaries inspired by the criminals. But where does curiosity end and obsessions begin?

’ killers like Bundy, are found juxtaposed with crowns, and texts, lusting over their mugshots in ‘

 made by people, mainly women for the sole purpose of adulating serial killers. With an ample of content options on platforms such as 

, a section of teens choose to create modelling videos, imitating murderers, where they dress up as killers like Ted Bundy, 

, and pose for the camera. Although it may seem as if not much goes on in making these videos, but just the notion of copying murderers, (without any apparent cause) gives out the statement, “

” which is unsettling enough to be concerned with.

Another big issue coming in the same sphere as this is the popularizing of movies that glorify domestic abuse, consequently leading to the bolstering of 

. Blindfolding the audience with attractive actors and sultry scenes, the makers make it seem like a “

”. One of the most recent examples being, the Polish erotic drama, ‘

 Days’, that has quickly gained global popularity since its debut. Even with unbelievable events and a highly unrealistic plot, the movie maintained a place in the top 10 ratings on 

 alongside a few family-friendly hits. The movie, centering on Laura, who is kidnapped by a mafia, Massimo, who gives her 365 days to fall in love with her, overlooks the idea of consent, normalizing “

, a sexual assault survivor, in an open letter to 

, the CEO and co-founder of Netflix said: “

To anyone who may exclaim ‘it is just a movie’, it is not ‘just’, when it has great influence to distort a subject which is widely undiscussed, such as sex trafficking and kidnapping, by making the subject erotic

The more series and movies run with these troubling gender dynamics, the more normalization of such crimes happen, with millions of people thinking of it an as “

”, leading to the eventual implementations like that of a serial killer or rapist.

Coming to the choice of casting, either it be 

, playing Ted Bundy in the 2019 film: “

”; with this constant characterization of the attractive, and adored actors as murderers, audiences begin to build atrocious castles in the air, fantasizing about being victims of their crimes. In a series of tweets, Penn Badgely himself has asked the audience to stop romanticizing his character, ‘Joe’, and instead take a moralizing stance on the matter. “

At the end of the day, Joe is a murderer with “a whole lot of problems

,” the ‘You’ actor said. These portrayals in turn, also lead to a growing fan base of the criminals themselves. 

 have witnessed a growing presence of fan pages of Ted Bundy, since the release of Zac Efron’s 2019 film mentioned above.

The publicizing of evil through fiction, plays a big role in becoming a reality in private. Despite our society’s predilections for the ‘

’, we need to keep in mind the innumerable innocent lives lost, what they truly deserve, and what we can do, as responsible human beings to bring a halt to this.

Charm Must Not Triumph Over Harm

Below the scintillating cerulean and violets, a steam train runs over a bridge, which stands above a river with an old sailing ship; whilst a familiar castle shines bright within the dark ethers that is within seconds illuminated by fireworks, making the night show rise to an apex of color and music. As a circular line is drawn over the castle, the bottom of the screen transitions to reveal the words: “Walt Disney”. Embedded within the hearts of children since coon’s age, this scene of Disney’s magical kingdom stands as a cherished childhood dream.

 has come a long way to establish itself as one of the most powerful companies in the entertainment industry today. However, the continued popularity of the classics has forced the company to look up to the negative stereotypes present in the films—whether it be a progression of the African-American stereotypes by the display of stock characters in a demeaning manner, or the defiled portrayal of the female leads in the classics. The voices for holding these films accountable and narrating stories differently in the future has led to an opportunity of discussion. When played on the Disney+ streaming service, a content advisory for classic Disney films like ‘

’, etc., flash up with a warning about stereotypes: “

The programme includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.

Tracing the classic Disney Princess movies, this article aims to portray the negative stereotypes particularly in terms of gender, given their immense popularity.

An industry built on magic and happily ever after, the Walt Disney company started in 1923 in Los Angeles, by 

, who laid the foundation for an empire. Throughout its 100 years as a company, Disney is known to have starred more females as the leads in movies. Beginning in 1937, the Classic era, known as Disney’s golden age includes the release of ‘

’. These appeared prior to Walt Disney’s death and the second-wave feminism, thus reflecting the model woman shaped by the 19th century’s notion of domesticity, where the naïve woman relies on the protection of a man throughout the film with principles of submission and standard duties of the house-hold, until she is met with the appearance of her male savior, thus the ultimate ending revolving around marriage.

Just whistle while you work/ and cheerfully together we can tidy up the place

”, sings a contented Snow White, while she does the chores, awaiting nothing more than a prince’s love, regulating her own aspirations to the shadows. Reinforcing stereotypes, Cinderella is liberated from her ruthless household only by wedding her royal savior, while Aurora is awakened by a kiss from the prince, before he slays the villainess, in order to rescue the sleeping beauty from her destined confinement. The paralleling stories continue to shape a line of kingdoms where the quintessential symbol of romance is male saviorism while women are figured as the damsels in distress.

, which brought with it 12 films with leading female roles, Disney made a moderate progress to bide within the changing societal attitudes in the third-wave feminism. However the princesses starring in films like the ‘

’, etc., were not much than just being “

little more diverse in appearance than their classic sisters

”, while other factors remained unchanged.

Belle’s success in breaking from the passive stereotypes, by the courageous act of rescuing her father from the beast’s dungeon, and straying from the marriage-minded princesses of the past was but derailed. Despite the verbal and emotional abuse, she tries to find the beast’s humanity, accepting a toxic relationship in turn to secure a man’s affection. Similarly, while Disney gave more independence to the princesses with Ariel’s curiosity to explore the human world, she was still portrayed as the naïve princess relinquishing her voice, and culture in the sea for a prince’s love; 

”. Similar things were noticed in Aladdin and Pocahontas, with additional racial stereotypes. With the release of princess and the frog, Disney made a significant shift by the introduction of Tiana, the first African-American lead princess. While we expected a progress towards racial equity, Disney, sadly, continued to characterize the “

Black servant, presenting Tiana within that same narrow scope of historical representations of Black womanhood,

; at times, implying her African-descent to be linked with the past slaves.

With four collective waves of feminism and advocacy for breaking from stereotypes, came the 

’. With Rapunzel possessing artistic creativity through her paintings, and showing bravery by escaping the domestic sphere, Disney wafts a breath of fresh air, which is but blocked as we move forward to the story’s conclusion. Tangled’s happily-ever-after like always, focuses on Rapunzel’s marriage to Flynn Rider, with minimal spotlight on her own independence. However, with the release of ‘Frozen’, which starred the headstrong, ice-controlling princess, Elsa, Disney took a much awaited turn. “

”, which was ultimately used to break the curse of the frozen heart, was shown through the dynamic of the two sisters, rather than a male savior. As ‘

’ (2016), and the first south-east Asian princess ‘

’ (2021) continue to sustain theme of audacious and independent female characters, there stands precious room for change in terms of gender and race.

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes

We often see this in Disney, where, unfortunately, “

. While Disney may have succeeded in breaking the gender stereotypes through the years, what waits now is the much discussed, much debated over—body image, which deserves an individual discussion. Whether it be Snow White or Elsa, benevolence continues to be linked to rosy lips and insanely thin waists, while evil characters are depicted as ghastly. Disney has to work to “

” wholly, so that upcoming female characters are represented richly, and truthfully.

Beyond the Castle Gates

“Hue the aake yahin khemazan who deewaney,

utthe the sun ke jo aawaz-e-rehbaraan-e-watan.”

Translating into the lines, “This is where men with zeal stayed, Men who answered the leader’s call”, is an excerpt from Jamia Millia Islamia’s anthem song, written by Khaleeq Sb., which finds itself embedded within the heart of the institution’s spirit. As the campus was invaded by the Delhi police on 15th December 2019, in a deliberate attempt to silence the students protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the institution was brought into the limelight, maybe ever so bright. What followed the violence was shutting down of the campus, arrest of the youth, damaged buildings, and an institution with an ignited zest.

With the future in their hands, the youth must be involved in matters that impact the world. Activism gives them the space and opportunity to be placed into matters within which they are forced to observe the issues faced by society, giving a first-hand insight into the operation of politics and government. This is especially important in a county, where you are secular until you play by the majority’s rule and where the throats of those who come to speak against, are choked by tear gas shells. From Dec 2019, other than the chanting of slogans, the continued agitation by the students through creativity, art, and non-violence, positioned Jamia as one of the 

focal points of the ongoing protests throughout the country

, with the scarcity of an elected student body, never affecting their century-old political awareness. Century-old, is to be mentioned, as this was not the first time that the institution’s rebellious nature came into the public eye. Rooted within India’s freedom struggle and born out of resistance against the British, it is quite evident that Jamia may have been a part of agitations, other than this one renowned time. Sundering itself from 

Mahatma Gandhi, Zakir Hussain, Hakim Ajmal Khan

 etc., as a part of the non-cooperation movement against the British, which lead to the arrest of its students and teachers, turning into a hub of nationalism, from its genesis. In 1935, Jamia laid the foundation stone for its current campus in 

. With the addition of science, liberal arts, and other professional courses over the years, Jamia was formally established as a central university under the Indian government in 1988. Along with growing academic development, Jamia also became known due to its inherited quality of activism.

 make up for one of the most controversial books in recent literary history, due to its reported mocking and challenging of some of the most sensitive tenets comprised within prominent Muslim religious beliefs. The publication set off immediate demonstrations all over the world, along with a call for Rushdie’s execution. The wildfire spread as far as the subcontinent, and within the capital’s central university, which witnessed its own ignited flame due to pro-vice-chancellor, 

 as the president of the student’s union, the courtyards echoed with slogans demanding Hasan’s resignation.

However, soon after this agitation, the student union was banned, with pages of the pending case filed in 2011, demanding the right to elect a student union, fluttering somewhere within the Delhi high court, for a long time. A years-long struggle by the students followed, with 2017 gaining prominence by widespread hunger strikes and protests. Leaders of student unions from various central universities were requested to join the demonstrations for the reinstatement. Towards the end of October 2017, a committee formed by the university clarified that it was in favour of election, yet merely, “in principle”, letting out a half-sigh by students.

A student union plays an important part in protests, given that they legitimize the movement, offer leadership and allow mobilization. With an absence of one, the administration gets a never-ending excuse upon listening to the student’s demands.

2019 witnessed an air of revolution with three moderately successful protests at the university. Within the fine arts department, At the beginning of the year, the demand that was for better faculty members grew out of the sphere towards the demand for the suspension of the HOD, 

, who faced an accusation by multiple students on grounds of sexual harassment and unsolicited advances. This resulted in widespread protests throughout January and February, where on one account students were beaten and manhandled by other groups of students who were reportedly close to the HOD. Around 80 women had filed a petition against the HOD in court according to students. “

They suspended the HOD until the independent inquiry’s report is submitted, after which the movement was called off

 has been a major source of dispute all over the world for quite some time now, with adherents of Palestine, showing support by demonstrations and boycotting Israel. In 2019, Israel had been invited by the architecture department of Jamia to partner up for the global health zenith confluence programme. This idea was met with protests by students against Israeli participation. “

They wanted to talk about their health infrastructure to whitewash their criminal image in the international community. We stand with the Palestinian right to self-determination

,” said one of the student protesters. Despite continued attempts by the administration to stop the protests, students did not relent, forcing the administration to an agreement on four demands signed by representatives of the student groups. The most important point being: “

We assure that if any Israeli delegate participates in any program, we will not allow.

The continued activism and determination paved the way for more successful, massive rebellions, bringing people from different places on a century-old stage. The central university secured the attention of the entire nation with the 

 protests. Becoming one of the prominent faces of the demonstration, student activism in Jamia soared high, reflecting the ideologies of the founders like never before. The notion that student unionization will lead to unwanted politicization in the campus with the hindering of academics was challenged as Jamia secured the top spot in central university rankings in 2020.

Our ultimate goal is to have a student union

, a student of Jamia while protesting against the citizenship amendment act.

 within gate no.7 of Jamia Millia Islamia looks down on the activism and determination of the students, one can only comprehend how beautifully he would have written it out.

“Likhtay rahey junoon ki hikayat-e-khoon chakaan,

Harchand iss main haath hamare qalam hue."

(We kept writing the blood-drenched narratives of that madness,

Although our hands were chopped off in the process.)

Viva la Revolución: Jamia Millia Islamia

Terrorist? Anti-modern? A presage to western values? Oppressive? Or the oppressed? These are the first notions that come to one’s mind while watching a Muslim character in a western movie. “Where’s the counter-narrative? Where are we telling these kids that they can be heroes in our stories, that they are valued?”, questioned actor Riz Ahmed, who made history after becoming the first Muslim actor to be nominated for the Oscars in the ‘Best Actor’ category for his role in ‘The Sound of Metal’. The actor, along with a group of activists, has launched a campaign to defy the toxic portrayals of Muslims in the prevailing film industry subjugated by Hollywood.

Functioning as a prominent media product consumed by the people, cinema is a medium which has potential to transform attitudes towards topical social issues. A change in attitude leads to change in actions, which consequently affects the society. Thus, the film industry has a crucial responsibility of shaping the identity of certain groups, particularly, the segregated and outvoted.

 of the global population. According to a 

 inclusion initiative study that examined 200 movies, the representation of Muslims in popular films from the US remained at a 

. Within this limited number of the Muslim characters portrayed, “

39% were shown as perpetrators of violence; more than half were targeted by violence; and that more than 70% experienced disparagement, with 62% of them targeted with racist slurs

.” This representation that does subsists, is gender-specific, with no scope for a Muslim woman in a 

, who is not oppressed. In the light of the prevalent controversies on movies such as ‘

’, this article aims to bring forth the misrepresentation of hijab in popular cinema.

‘Hijab’ is an Arabic word which describes the act of covering up for both men and women as a part of modesty, according to 

. In a misogynist world however, this doctrine has become a case of a societal norm rather than a religious moral, by making the subject women-centric, with ‘hijab’ solely being associated with the headscarves worn by the Muslim 

. While there have been many cases where hijab has been enforced upon them, numerous women consider it as a way of devotion to their faith and a part of their identity, something that they are also robbed off. Either way, the Muslim women are subjected to oppression—not because of this piece of cloth on their heads, but because of the policies and opinions imposed upon them, without any regard for individual rights.

 on-screen representation, Muslim women characters are often portrayed as oppressed, distorted, or absent. The now popular ‘

’ has become a persistent gesture in TV and films to show a Muslim woman’s ‘

’ of the western freedom, by rejection of one’s faith. The dire need of being saved from her ‘

 by a white boy is another common facet in western movies featuring Muslim female characters. Whether it be Hala taking off her headscarf at the end of the Apple’s TV production, Hala; Amy, an 11-year old hijabi girl being hypersexualized in the Netflix film, Cuties; or Nadia walking into a club having removed her headscarf in Netflix’s Spanish teen drama, 

; all have faced a similar backlash on the grounds of portraying the ‘Hijab’- already a subject to atrocities, in a defiled light. Empowerment boxes are ticked at the expense of the scattering of this piece of cloth. Given the 

 being the latest example of embodying a horrible offshoot of the concept of hijab, it is crucial for the power structures behind the TV to present a counter-narrative for the Muslim women.

This misrepresentation comes from the ignorance and laziness to learn more about the religion before portraying it in a show.

’ appears as a vague reason, in the face of the discrimination faced by the Muslim women on a daily basis. With headscarves being the triggering factors, 

 of discrimination against women in 2006. Apart from this ignorance, there is propaganda. Films have often ministered as a tool of propaganda, given the silent, yet intimate connection between politics and cinema. Portraying sensitive topics such as feminism and oppression of women as primary concepts, films like the 2004 ‘

’, tend to accentuate extremism, Islamic radicalism, and terrorism instead.

Cinema, with its unique ability of producing movement, sound, and images in a life-like manner, holds the capacity to bring a change in the actions of the people. With the growing atrocities against the Muslim women, the ‘hijab’ asks for representation, other than its removal, while the women ask for representation of their empowerment, other than downtrodden in dire need of “

Articles by Maryam Hassan

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