I found PK to be fairly mild in its criticism of religion( given everything else I read about that topic)
However here are some of the things that have been said on the Internet
This movie unfairly singles out Hindus
Of course Pakistani reviewers would like this - that shows doesn't it
This movie hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus
Its only Hindus that will say religion is man made all Muslims and Christians are sure their religion is true.
As always , even mild criticism of religion cant be made without the right wing nuts up in arms.
There is lot of things about the above that annoy me - as an Indian , as an erstwhile Hindu , as a non believer - which are in no particular order.
a. The insistence of right wing groups to frame their opposition as "Hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus" - Hindus, probably more than any other religion, are NOT a monolithic entity. Thanks to the naming of the practices of a geographical location as "Hindu" - we have no consistency or uniformity of practices or belief. Add some philosophy to it that is liberal in nature (Truth is one , paths are many )
or a vedic couplet like
Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?
The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.
which show people doubting what God himself knows or whether he even created creation or not?
Or a belief system that included non belief! (Carvaka)
So when someone says hurts religious sentiments of Hindus (or really of any religion) - it is nonsense. Most people don't care or would simply shrug.
No one appointed a political party or a mahasabha or a guru as the spokesman of any religion. No one appointed a mullah or a political party to represent their views and we should point and laugh at those who would appoint themselves to such positions - instead of siding with them.
b.Ah Pakistan. It looks like views about Pakistan can only fall into two extremes. Either they are all peace loving , decent human beings stuck with a corrupt, evil government OR Pakistan is encouraging(a very large understatement) terrorists , who kill innocent people and each and every citizen is morally responsible for this (if not eagerly abetting and supporting them) and while this exists India cannot have any relation whatsoever with them - not in sports , not in entertainment etc.
This movie seems to fall into the former and its detractors in the latter. Indians actually should be well aware of the complexity of treating a nation as one , given our own heterogeneity. While the above is an exaggeration , Pakistani characters are generally depicted as with a heart of gold or evil -even if the movie has both (or perhaps Hindi movies have one dimensional card board characters)
c. Its actually surprising to see the match be a Hindu Indian Girl + with Muslim pakistani boy in a Hindi movie. usually its the reverse.
d. While the movie probably did have more examples of Hindu's doing stupid stuff , with the chief villain being Hindu , and the other religions were represented briefly , it's silly to think that it singled out Hindu's - because you then did miss the point of the criticism. The point is not that cracking a coconut to please some God is silly (while kneeling down to face a particular mosque isnt) - its that why would an all powerful , all good being care about such things ? And it doesn't matter whether you talk about making the sign of the cross or fasting or rolling about on the ground or whatever - either the God you believe in is a petty one , or that God doesnt care about such thing (or he might not care at all about humans or he might not even exist)
e. And even with all that - this is such mild criticism. Hirani is probably a mono-theist/ deist. He didn't actually show religion in its every day evil form. He didn't really show how it destroys lives - every single day , not as an exception , but as a matter of course. He didnt show how badly people suffer because of it. he didn't show the absolutely evil practices it inspires. Well other than a bomb blast. And even then , the super privileged religious people found enough to object to the movie. Just shows you.
However here are some of the things that have been said on the Internet
This movie unfairly singles out Hindus
Of course Pakistani reviewers would like this - that shows doesn't it
This movie hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus
Its only Hindus that will say religion is man made all Muslims and Christians are sure their religion is true.
As always , even mild criticism of religion cant be made without the right wing nuts up in arms.
There is lot of things about the above that annoy me - as an Indian , as an erstwhile Hindu , as a non believer - which are in no particular order.
a. The insistence of right wing groups to frame their opposition as "Hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus" - Hindus, probably more than any other religion, are NOT a monolithic entity. Thanks to the naming of the practices of a geographical location as "Hindu" - we have no consistency or uniformity of practices or belief. Add some philosophy to it that is liberal in nature (Truth is one , paths are many )
or a vedic couplet like
Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?
The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.
which show people doubting what God himself knows or whether he even created creation or not?
Or a belief system that included non belief! (Carvaka)
So when someone says hurts religious sentiments of Hindus (or really of any religion) - it is nonsense. Most people don't care or would simply shrug.
No one appointed a political party or a mahasabha or a guru as the spokesman of any religion. No one appointed a mullah or a political party to represent their views and we should point and laugh at those who would appoint themselves to such positions - instead of siding with them.
b.Ah Pakistan. It looks like views about Pakistan can only fall into two extremes. Either they are all peace loving , decent human beings stuck with a corrupt, evil government OR Pakistan is encouraging(a very large understatement) terrorists , who kill innocent people and each and every citizen is morally responsible for this (if not eagerly abetting and supporting them) and while this exists India cannot have any relation whatsoever with them - not in sports , not in entertainment etc.
This movie seems to fall into the former and its detractors in the latter. Indians actually should be well aware of the complexity of treating a nation as one , given our own heterogeneity. While the above is an exaggeration , Pakistani characters are generally depicted as with a heart of gold or evil -even if the movie has both (or perhaps Hindi movies have one dimensional card board characters)
c. Its actually surprising to see the match be a Hindu Indian Girl + with Muslim pakistani boy in a Hindi movie. usually its the reverse.
d. While the movie probably did have more examples of Hindu's doing stupid stuff , with the chief villain being Hindu , and the other religions were represented briefly , it's silly to think that it singled out Hindu's - because you then did miss the point of the criticism. The point is not that cracking a coconut to please some God is silly (while kneeling down to face a particular mosque isnt) - its that why would an all powerful , all good being care about such things ? And it doesn't matter whether you talk about making the sign of the cross or fasting or rolling about on the ground or whatever - either the God you believe in is a petty one , or that God doesnt care about such thing (or he might not care at all about humans or he might not even exist)
e. And even with all that - this is such mild criticism. Hirani is probably a mono-theist/ deist. He didn't actually show religion in its every day evil form. He didn't really show how it destroys lives - every single day , not as an exception , but as a matter of course. He didnt show how badly people suffer because of it. he didn't show the absolutely evil practices it inspires. Well other than a bomb blast. And even then , the super privileged religious people found enough to object to the movie. Just shows you.
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