‘Hum Do, Hamare Baarah’ film makers face ISIS-style beheading threats from Islamists: File complaint in Mumbai

The makers of the upcoming Hindi movie “Hamare Baarah” have taken legal action by filing a complaint at Versova Police Station in Mumbai. This decision comes in response to the cast and crew receiving constant death and rape threats online from individuals identifying as Islamists. The film’s producers’ team has expressed deep concern, stating that not only they but also their family members and friends have been targeted with these threats. However, the police have assured them of their safety in Maharashtra.

“Hamare Baarah” is set to release on June 7 and presents a bold narrative that highlights the challenges faced by Muslim women, often relegated to the status of inferior beings and treated as mere baby-making machines within their households. This portrayal has provoked a strong reaction from extremists who have resorted to issuing threats of beheadings to intimidate the film’s director, Kamal Chandra, and actors Annu Kapoor and Aditi Dhiman.

The threats have been particularly virulent on social media, notably Instagram, with followers of radical groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and those influenced by figures like the late Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Indian extremist Mufti Salman Azhari. These individuals have shared videos depicting brutal beheadings, accompanied by Islamic hymns and verses, to warn the filmmakers. Actual beheadings carried out by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have been used as a chilling reminder of what could happen to the director if the movie is released. The filmmakers’ images have been manipulated in these videos to amplify the fear.

Cyberattacks have also been threatened against Zee Music for the movie trailer, with the film producer’s personal contact information and technical details leaked online. Despite these alarming threats, “Hamare Baarah,” featuring a notable cast including Annu Kapoor, Ashwini Kalsekar, and Manoj Joshi, is still scheduled for release on June 7, following its premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The film’s original title, “Hum Do Humare Baraah,” was changed as per a directive from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).