Note: This article was originally published on 3rd July, 2016
Irrfan Khan is a name very well heard of not only in the Bollywood industry but in Hollywood too. The hyper-realism with which he plays his character on the silver screen is a talent rarely seen in the entertainment business these days. As a distinguished alumni of the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD), he has every skill needed to put forth a moving portrayal. Fair to say that as an actor, he has proved himself to be beyond any doubt in his profession.
It is great to see that the mainstream audiences have started appreciating the rusty and realistic theme of movies that deal with very earthy characters quintessential to Irrfan’s movies. Irrfan Khan has carved out a niche for himself with stellar performances in Maqbool, Paan Singh Tomar, The Namesake, Haasil. The list is a long and illustrious one. So naturally, he is a much sought after face in advertisement industry and talk shows. To his credit, he appears to be a no nonsense guy. Using minimal words to put forward his point in a clear manner seems to be his Hallmark. He has the gift of being skilled orator.
The audiences have been waiting anxiously for the premier of his much anticipated – Madaari. As has become the norm these days, Irrfan Khan is busy with extensive promotion of the movie therefore indulging in a lot of reality shows and talks. It was during such an event that he strayed beyond the movie and put forth a point which appears to make perfect sense. To a rational person it might appear to be a flawless argument, but there is no sensitive topic than Religion in this world. When you speak about Religion it is definitely bound to rub off some of the pundits in the wrong way.
“The meaning of Qurbani is to sacrifice something which is close to you instead of any goat or sheep which you just buy to sacrifice. Before sacrificing we should share a bond with that thing otherwise just killing of an animal will not serve the purpose. Nowadays we have lost the relevance behind such religious activities and perform these rituals without knowing the meaning behind them”
Commenting on Muharram, Irrfan Khan added that Muslims have turned Muharram to a joke because instead of mourning, people celebrate it like a festival. Please note here that neither am I questioning your right to eat meat or not, it is purely an individual’s decision nor am I questioning the validity of your religion and the associated celebration. Everybody is entitled to practice (or not) any religion.
I am so glad that an actor as revered as Irrfan Khan has finally taken up this point because specifically in India we absolutely adore our Bollywood stars, so obviously whatever remark they make is devoured by the media to come out with raunchy taglines. Irrfan’s comments have drawn much attention and thus have been widely debated by religious fanatics.
But to me what stands out here is a perfect example put forth by Irrfan Khan where people blindly follow age old traditions without knowing why they were initiated in the first place. As he rightly says, Qurbaani is not really Qurbaani unless it has a personal sentiment to it. Just by buying 2 animals and slaughtering them doesn’t qualify as a deed that you can boast of. How can you expect to attain Heaven by this baseless act?
I am sure that every tradition might have begun with a noble intention in line with the social/economical/political conditions prevailing at that point of time but with due time it is important to check if there is a need to modify or re-invent the set of traditions. I don’t believe that any God was hell-bent on following rules written by men centuries ago who had (or not) limited idea where the world might head to in the futuristic times. After all, if we do read all the current accounts of God’s incarnations, then he does appear to a rational man composed of reason.
The foundation of every religion should and must be positive criticism. I don’t think that religion is a fragile thing and it is definitely above any petty comparison. But I do believe that like most other things, with time Religion does need to change and evolve for the better. Sure, you core ideologies might remain the same for ages but let them be open to interpretation and keep the window open for a healthy debate. It will only point out any abruption (if any) and in the long run make you more inclined to the Gods you keep.
In light of this, I do believe that Irrfan Khan is very much within his rights to question the traditions being followed. He has acted like a man of reason and dared to question something which by way of default has been assumed to be immutable and enforced on the masses to be followed. May there be many more such brave hearts (Yes, it does take courage to question your own faith) who open our eyes to the current reality and the need of a desperate change in the order of things.
