It’s been three weeks since the release of Anubhav Sinha’s ' Mulk ' and the film is still going strong in most regions despite the absence of any superstars. Interestingly, on Eid on Wednesday, cinema halls in Delhi reported 90-95% occupancy in the shows of the film. Exhibitors say that on other days too, the film has been seeing healthy levels of occupancy in the limited screens allotted to it after new releases hit theatres last Friday. 'Mulk' is about a Muslim family that’s in the middle of a storm after one of them gets involved in a bomb blast. According to those who have watched the film, the reason why it stands out is because it doesn’t stereotype the Muslim community and takes an unbiased and balanced view of the situation. Speaking about the response his film has got, Sinha says, “The reception to 'Mulk' was unprecedented in many ways. One, it drew political journalists and common people to the theatres. Two, it survived amidst some huge releases. Yes, it doesn’t have too many shows, but since the exhibitors have been pleasantly surprised with the footfall, they have assured me that 'Mulk' will get screens for as long as it draws people to the theatres.”Sinha feels that the underlying idea of the film connected with audiences. “We all have prejudices and we all assume that we are perfect, we’re liberals and we don’t have flaws in our thoughts. It’s only when someone mirrors those flaws and prejudices that reside deep down that we realise things are not the way we think they are. I think that is what worked for 'Mulk'. It made people go back and think,” he says.Those in Delhi who have watched the film echo Sinha’s feelings, say it should be watched because it quashes the assumptions we have about ‘the other’, and challenges the popular notion of patriotism. Peeyush Kumar, an MNC employee, says, “After watching the film, I felt like someone has shown me a mirror because I know too many people who have similar prejudices against Muslims . A woman in the film says, ‘nachna-gaana toh theek hai, lekin hum khaana nahi khaate inke yahan.’ It reminded me of all the times I heard my aunts tell my cousins not to eat at the house of their Muslim friends. There is no point denying that some people have deep-rooted biases, but those prejudices need to be confronted by watching 'Mulk'. For me, the most memorable moment of the film is when Murad Ali (played by Rishi Kapoor ) doesn’t know how to respond to people who question his patriotism. He recalls his days as a newlywed when his wife used to ask him if he loved her. ‘Lekin yeh kaise saabit kiya jaaye ki main usse pyaar karta hoon? Pyaar kaise saabit kiya jata hai? Pyaar karke hi na! Kaise saabit karoon ki mujhe apne mulk se pyar hai?’ he asks, which shows the helplessness of his situation.”For many Muslim viewers, the film hit a raw nerve. ES Hassan, who works in a production unit in Delhi, tells us, “I cried while watching the film because it’s all so true. A number of times, my friends have said something about Muslims without even realising that they’re being biased. Once, a friend asked me where I was living. I said, ‘south Delhi’, and prompt came the reply, ‘I thought you all live in Jamia Nagar’. I didn’t react. At home, I have always been told that we are Indians first, but from school to office, everyone keeps reminding me that I’m a Muslim.”Neha Arora, a software engineer, says, “The film shows us how Islamophobia still exists. You can’t believe that someone is actually uttering this line – ‘Muslims have many children because they want to take over the country’ (said by Ashutosh Rana , who plays a public prosecutor). The dialogues and incidents were familiar because I have heard people in real life saying these. But I was surprised to see all that on the big screen.”The point that 'Mulk' tries to make is that terrorism is an act that creates fear; it can’t be used to paint an entire religion, region, race or caste in the same brush. Neha adds, “I liked how the film underlines what terrorism is, and even gives the dictionary definition of the word. It’s an important film, and everyone must watch it, and should take their parents too.”The film has also struck a chord with people who belong to inter-faith families, through the character of Aarti, essayed by Taapsee Pannu , who is married into a Muslim family. ES Hassan says, “My cousins are married to Hindus, and no outsider can tell the difference. But people keep asking questions like, ‘Oh! Your bhabhi has still kept her Hindu name?’, ‘Is she allowed to wear sindoor?’ or ‘Your boyfriend is a Hindu, so who’s going to convert?’.” She adds, “One of the best scenes in the film is when ‘woh’ aur ‘hum’ (‘us’ versus ‘them’), mulk (country) and mazhab (religion) is discussed. Maine toh hamesha se ‘tum log’ aur ‘hum log’ ki divide dekhi hai, yeh toh roz ki baat hai society mein.”She ends with, “It was not just me, I heard a number of people sobbing inside the auditorium, and they were not just Muslims.”Rishi Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu in 'Mulk'— With inputs from Niharika.Lal@timesgroup.com

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