Bollywood thinks Akbar looks like Hrithik: Amish Tripathi slams misrepresentation
What's the story
Acclaimed author Amish Tripathi has criticized Bollywood for misrepresenting historical figures in multiple films. Speaking at the launch of his latest book, The Chola Tigers: Avengers of Somnath, he emphasized that such portrayals often blur the line between foreign rulers and native Indians. He offered examples from popular Hindi movies such as Chhaava, Padmaavat, and Jodhaa Akbar to explain his argument.
Critique
'We think Khilji looks like Ranveer Singh...'
Tripathi said, "We think Alauddin Khilji looks like Ranveer Singh, Akbar looks like Hrithik Roshan, or Aurangzeb looks like Akshaye Khanna." "They were all from the steppes of Central Asia." "If we travel back in time and saw them, they would look Chinese. However, they weren't Chinese; they were the same people who conquered and devastated China as well." "When we see a British ruler in films, it's clear he is foreign. He looks foreign, but he speaks English."
Language
'Khilji is shown speaking Urdu, which makes him relatable'
Tripathi pointed out that important historical figures like Khilji and Akbar didn't speak Urdu. Instead, they spoke Turkish or Persian. He said, "But Khilji is shown as Ranveer Singh speaking Urdu, which makes him seem relatable and homegrown. That's not accurate."
Invasions
Tripathi said these portrayals wrongly link invasions with Indian Muslims
Tripathi said these portrayals confuse the reality of invasions and wrongly link them with Indian Muslims instead of foreign rulers. "They were foreigners, just like the British. Our history books and popular culture often fail to clarify that," he said.
Author's perspective
'History was largely written by British'
Tripathi said, "The Indic Chronicles is my interpretation of the story of the last 1300 years. Our history as we study it today was largely written by the British Raj." "For example, British colonial rule is never called a Christian invasion. But Turkish colonial rule is mischievously called an Islamic invasion. Why? It almost feels like an attempt to divide us." Tripathi is best known for writing The Shiva Trilogy.