Lead actress of the film offering namaz (X)
Bollywood stirs up controversy with the film ‘Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food,’ as it depicts a Hindu temple pujari’s daughter, the lead character offering Islamic prayers (Namaz) during a cooking competition. The lead actress is portrayed wearing a Hijab before reciting Namaz. The film has also sparked controversy over misrepresentations from Valmiki’s Ramayan and criticism of the revered Hindu deity Bhagwan Ram.
This recent Tamil film, featuring Lady Superstar Nayanthara, premiered in cinemas on December 1, 2023, and was initially available on Netflix, exclusively in the original language. As of December 29, the movie has been released in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi languages with English subtitles.
The storyline revolves around an aspiring chef from a Brahmin family who desires expertise in cooking non-vegetarian dishes. She clandestinely enrolls in a culinary school and later participates in a cooking competition with the aim of becoming a Corporate Chef.
Annapoorani (played by Nayanthara) hails from a traditional Iyengar family in Srirangam. Her father, Rangarajan (Achyuth Kumar), once held lucrative positions but chose to devote himself to serving Lord Ranganathar as a temple chef. Annapoorani, born with remarkably heightened taste buds, developed a strong craving for flavours, even in her breast milk. Inspired by her father’s culinary skills, she aspires to become a renowned chef, though her upbringing prevents her from cooking non-vegetarian dishes.
Taking guidance from India’s renowned chef, Anand Sundarajan (Sathyaraj), Annapoorani faces a dilemma as her orthodox father considers her proximity to meat as a sin. Balancing her passion for cooking with her father’s traditional beliefs, she strives to fulfill her dream of becoming a corporate chef. The film unfolds the narrative of her journey, exploring whether she succeeds and delving into the challenges she encounters on her path to culinary excellence. All these questions find answers in the two-and-a-half-hour cinematic experience.
The film encounters a pivotal moment when, participating in a cooking competition, the protagonist is tasked with preparing Biryani. In a sudden recollection from her college days, a Muslim woman had shared her secret for crafting exceptional recipes. According to the woman, the extraordinary taste in her food arises from offering Namaz before cooking.
In response to this memory, the lead character retrieves a black cloth, dons a Hijab, and sits on the floor to perform Namaz before proceeding to cook the Biryani. The scene is accompanied by music featuring lyrics such as “Maula mere Maula, tu hi rakhwala… there ishq ke hi noor see qayanath roshan hui… apne rang me mujhko rang de Maula.”
During the tasting session, when the judges inquire about her remarkable culinary skills, she responds, “Biryani has no religion; it is an emotion.” She goes on to emphasize that offering Namaz enhances the flavor of the Biryani, making it taste its best.
Surprisingly, in a different scene, Farhan, the lead’s boyfriend, encourages her by quoting verses from the Ramayan to argue that non-vegetarianism is not a sinful act. As she ascends the stairs toward her goal, he motivates her to pursue her dreams.
In their conversation, he recites Sanskrit verses, stating that Valmiki wrote in the Ramayan that during their exile (Vanvas), Bhagwan Ram, Lakshman, and Mata Sita consumed animals when they were hungry. Earlier in the video, the lead, as the daughter of a Hindu pujari, is hesitant to cook meat. Despite Farhan’s attempt to convince her, the lead remains unwilling to prepare non-vegetarian dishes in the clip.
Sharing a clip from the film, the popular film critique channel, The Gems of Bollywood, commented, “Hindu Brahmin daughter of Pujari must offer namaz to win a stupid competition. Saath me Zihadi boyfriend free. Full-fledged conversion agenda in the name of nautanki?”
As videos from the film circulate on social media, they are sparking controversy for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and promoting passive Islamic conversion. The movie is produced by Zee Studios, Trident Arts, and Naad Studios, with cinematography handled by Dinesh Krishnan.
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