Opposing Films is Part of Promotion
By: M. Burhanuddin Qasmi
Editor: Eastern Crescent, Mumbai
A curious phenomenon has emerged across social media platforms recently. Young ulama and religious voices have launched relentless campaigns against a particular film, flooding WhatsApp groups and timelines with warnings about its alleged anti-Muslim content. Curiously, few seem to have actually viewed the offending material – and one hopes respected ulama wouldn’t lower themselves to watch such films at all.
This outrage plays perfectly into filmmakers’ hands. Modern cinema thrives on controversy, with producers often paying critics to condemn their work. Whether praised or attacked, the resulting buzz serves their purpose equally well. In today’s attention economy, any publicity – even negative – translates to box office success.
Consider the marketplace analogy: shopkeepers quickly remove ignored merchandise, but items that spark debate fly off shelves. By vocally opposing films, we become unwitting promoters. India’s film history shows most explicitly anti-Muslim productions flopped commercially. Yet filmmakers keep producing them, willing to lose money to fuel social divisions that serve political agendas.
The most potent response? Complete silence. Not reviews. Not boycotts. Not lawsuits. When we warn people “Don’t watch this anti-Muslim film,” we plant dangerous curiosity. Those who normally ignore cinema suddenly want to see what the fuss is about. Our good intentions become marketing tools for the very content we oppose.
True cultural resistance begins with indifference. Films that receive no attention, no reactions, no oxygen – these fade into obscurity naturally. Sometimes, the loudest protest comes through absolute silence. When hateful content meets unanimous disregard, it withers away, leaving its creators shouting into the void.
The choice is yours: will you keep amplifying messages you claim to oppose, or starve them of the attention they crave? History shows that in the battle of ideas, strategic silence often speaks louder than any protest.
