Sir Syed’s first biopic resonates with contemporary Muslim issues

Syed Ahmed Khan biopic Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

He is a proponent of the one- or two-nation theory among the architects of modern India. However, moving away from easy binaries, the first biopic of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan attempts to find answers to the controversial legacy of the founder of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College that shaped Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). A two-hour cut of the OTT series has been in the works for a long time, messiah It premiered at AMU’s iconic Kennedy Auditorium on Monday before the series streams on Apple TV.

At a time when the minority status of the Central University is being hotly debated in the courts and society, the series details how Sir Syed sought to bridge the gap between the clergy and conservative elements within the Muslim community by creating a modern center of learning. Faced the class. between Muslims and the British government after the Revolt of 1857, when the colonial power held the community largely responsible for the rebellion. Shoaib Hussain Choudhary, who not only directed the series but also played the title role, says, “He considered ignorance to be the primary reason behind the political downfall of Muslims and thus laid emphasis on modern education.” “The role fell into my lap after big names refused to take up the challenge, probably because of the stigma attached to it.”

A well-known name in the television circuit, Chaudhary sees Sir Syed as an advocate of Hindu-Muslim unity who was wrongly associated with the two-nation theory. “This principle came into existence long after his death in 1898. He had demanded Muslim representation in legislative bodies and it remains relevant even today considering the political situation of the community.”

As a man who believed in answering the book with the book, Sir Syed responded to William Muir’s controversial commentary on the Prophet Muhammad with a rational interpretation of Islamic tradition. Khutbat-e-Ahmadiyya,

a conversion of Hayat-e-JavedKhwaja Altaf Hussain Hali’s biographical series on the life of Sir Syed places him in the same category as reformists like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar and argues that he was not a communal man but a communitarian who, from the fact The Hindus were aware that the people of Bengal were at least 50 years ahead of the Muslims in receiving modern education.

Interestingly, the spark came from Mirza Ghalib. When Sir Syed approached the poet to write the preface to his translation Ain-e-AkbariHe advised them to focus on contemporary issues of the community and said that there was no point in celebrating Akbar’s rule when the constitution of the world was being written in Calcutta.

‘Controversial ideas’

The series also criticizes Sir Syed’s stance on girls’ education and backward Muslims and debates whether he made a mistake by not joining hands with the Indian National Congress. It also traces his tumultuous relationship with his son Syed Mohammed, the first Muslim High Court judge during the British Raj, whose propensity towards alcohol created problems in his personal and professional life. “The character of Sir Syed seems dichotomous, but if you see him as a product of his time, things fall into place,” says screenwriter Mutim Kamali. “Although Islam abhors slavery , he opted for pragmatism as the community was in no position to confront the colonial power after the rebellion of 1857. Mahatma Gandhi also did not adopt the path of armed rebellion.” Kamali says that Sir Syed did not join the Congress, but towards the end of his life he showed a change in his outlook and if he had lived longer he might have joined the Congress.

Describing the series as an authentic portrayal of Sir Syed’s life and works, Professor Shafey Kidwai, an expert on Sir Syed, says, “Sir Syed’s views on women’s education and backward Muslims are widely misunderstood. The film tries to set the record straight in a solid manner.”

Made on a low budget, the series was shot on sets after AMU refused permission. “In the past, filmmakers have not lived up to their promises, so the previous administration was wary of our intentions, but I am happy that the university has now embraced the film,” says Chaudhary.

Apart from Chaudhary, Akshay Anand, Zarina Wahab, Arif Zakaria and Deepak Parashar are in important roles in the series.