Portrayal of British Muslims in British Film

Introduction

Welcome!

After September 11, 2001 my world changed. At the time I was living in New York City, only a few miles from where the World Trade Centers once stood. Nearly ten years have passed, yet I remember every distinct detail of that morning exactly the same as the day it took place. I will always remember that putrid scent of burning flesh, the ash covered streets of Manhattan, the dark skies that cloaked the city’s monumental skyscrapers and the hundreds of bloody people who ran, screaming as they tried to flee the crumbling towers. I remember watching on CNN the images of those who jumped to their death. I was numb. I was in disbelief.

As the days passed, the media began unveiling the identities of the attackers. Osama Bin Laden. Islam. Jihad. These were the perpetrators. People were furious, and wanted to avenge those responsible for the deaths of 3,000 fellow Americans. And so began the stereotyping and hate crimes against Muslims. After September 11, Islam became synonymous with terrorism. Muslims who wore the distinctly Islamic hijab and kufi were attacked, and many Mosques were vandalized. Just as September 11 changed my life, it changed many Muslims’ lives in the United States and in the United Kingdom. They were forced to pay for a crime they had not committed, for the mere reason of association with Islam.

Islamophobia worsened after the July 7, 2005 bombings in London. Just as many Americans had exhibited anti-Muslim fervor following the September 11 attacks, many Britons began to feel the same about their Muslim compatriots. Accusations of ties to terrorist cells in desolate areas of Pakistan and anti-Islamic slander increased. Many British Muslims felt aliens in their own country.

I have chosen to examine the following four films so as to assess the portrayal of British Muslims in British films.

East to East

Yasmin

Brick Lane

The Infidel

East is East

Set in 1971, East is East is a film about George Khan, a Pakistani expatriate, whose assertion of strict Muslim rules upon his family is resisted by his English born children. George is married to a British woman, Ella, and has seven children, six sons and one daughter. Although a comedic drama, the film delves into the subjugation of women in Islam, the importance of family honour, the struggle between Islamic and British values, and the disgraceful nature of homosexuality in Islam.

The film begins with the Khan family’s preparation for the arranged marriage of their eldest son, Nadir. After his future wife’s veil is lifted, only to reveal a beautiful Pakistani woman, Nadir runs out of the Mosque. George is ashamed, and though at first it is unknown as to why Nadir fled his wedding, the film later reveals that Nadir is gay. When complimented on his six sons, George aggressively replies that he only has five sons, because one has died. George’s disowning of Nadir is vital in understanding the perpetuated stereotype of Muslims as homophobes. George disowns his son because he has disgraced the family name. To him Nadir is dead. However, unlike George who has zero communication with Nadir, Ella and the rest of the children continue to speak to him, though only by telephone. Although homosexuality is controversial in Islam, the way in which O’Donnell chose to represent Nadir as a homosexual is exaggerated. In his return towards the end of the film, Nadir is portrayed as a raging stereotypical gay man, who wears tight bell bottoms, heels, speaks in a feminine tone and works in his French boyfriend’s hair salon. There is a clear division in how Nadir’s homosexuality is treated by the family. George disowns him, but the other sons continue to seek Nadir’s support against their father. The sons’ acceptance to their brother’s homosexuality is due to the fact that they were raised British, and thus more open minded when it comes to such traditionally taboo issues. The varying response to Nadir’s homosexuality is indicative of the old world versus new world struggle that permeates the Kahn family.

George, though a hardworking man, is portrayed as the typical Muslim husband who physically and verbally abuses his wife. Throughout the course of the film George constantly belittles his wife with words like “bloody bitch”. Ella who appears to be a typical strong, robust, chain-smoking British woman, accepts the abuse as a normal occurrence. Though she occasionally speaks back to George, her position in the household is second to George. Ella’s role in the film is interesting because she has adopted the role of a traditional Muslim housewife, and despite her chain smoking and habitual cursing, she executes the role quite well. The most stereotypical portrayal of the abusive Muslim husband is towards the end of the film when George, after having discovered that his sons have destroyed the chest containing traditional Pakistani wedding dress for their surprise arranged marriages, beats his one son and Ella. George’s violence throughout the course of the film, whether he is pulling his youngest son’s hair, cursing at his wife, or directly beating her, perpetuates the stereotype that Muslim men are ‘wife beaters’.

George’s failure to instill Islamic rules in his children is illustrative of the struggle between Islamic and western lifestyles. His children who were raised to follow Islamic dietary law, are shown devouring pork sausages and bacon. The two eldest sons sneak out of their home to attend discos, drink alcohol and engage in sexual relationships with British girls. The discovery of the youngest son’s uncircumcised penis, or as George calls it, “tickle-tackle”, sends outrage throughout the local Mosque. Sajid, who is 7 years old, is forced to get a circumcision because otherwise he will bring further shame to his family. This is of course a comedic scene as circumcision occurs immediately after birth. However, amidst the humour, this scene reveals just how important adherence to Islamic law is for George.

The most controversial scene in East is East is when George’s two sons discover that their father has planned surprise-arranged marriages for both of them. After having heard the news, Tariq, one of George’s sons, opens George’s chest with garments that are to be worn at the wedding. He rips the cloths, breaks two watches, and causes an utter mess. Tariq and his brother refuse to marry two strange women their father has picked for them. They want to marry for love. This defiance of Pakistani-Muslim tradition leads to Ella’s beating, as she is blamed for her sons’ disobedience and disrespect towards their father.

East is East (1999)
Comedy/Drama
96 Minutes
Cast:
George Khan- Om Puri
Ella Khan- Linda Bassett
Sajid Khan- Jordan Routledge
Meenah Khan- Archie Panjabi
Tariq Khan- Jimi Mistry
Auntie Annie- Lesley Nicol
Director: Damien O’Donnell
Writer: Ayub Khan-Din

Yasmin

Yasmin is a film about a young Pakistani-Muslim woman who leads a double life. In her home she wears the traditional Muslim dress, including a hijab. She cooks for her father and her brother, and reluctantly attends to her husband, Faisal, an illegal Pakistani immigrant, whom she detests. Once she leaves her home in her red cabrio Volkswagen, she pulls up to the side of a country rode and changes into jeans and a t-shirt. She socializes at pubs with her British co-worker, John, for whom the audience is lead to believe that she’s developed feelings. Her younger brother, Nasir, is a drug dealer, rude boy, who, like his sister, is not particularly religious, despite his hymning of the Quran during prayers. Their father is an elderly Pakistani man who constantly mourns over the loss of his wife, and pressures Yasmin to remain married to Faisal.

However, following the televised events of September 11, 2001, Yasmin and her family’s lives drastically change. On her first day back to work following the attacks, Yasmin finds a post-it note on her locker which says, “Osama”. However, the prejudice doesn’t end there. She finds that someone wrote “Taliban Van” on her car, and that her colleagues begin to treat her differently. Furthermore, her boss asks her to take a paid leave of absence, and when Yasmin questions her boss, she soon realizes it is because of her Pakistani-Muslim background.

“Employee of the month one month, and now I’m fucking public enemy number one”

Following these events, the police raid Yasmin’s house demanding for Faisal, who is nowhere to be found. In this scene, the police point guns at Yasmin, her father and Nasir. Meanwhile, as the police are tearing the house apart searching for Faisal, Faisal is feeding his pet goat, which I believe was deliberately put in the film to serve as a symbol of the Islam. In Islam, following the end of the Hajj, which is the annual pilgrimage all Muslims must make to Mecca, Muslims celebrate the Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, in which they slaughter either a camel, lamb or goat.

As the film continues, it is possible that Faisal was a symbol of the sacrifical goat, for he is accused and detained for connections to Pakistani terrorist cells. After Faisal, who is far from intimidating, is arrested, Yasmin’s attitude towards him suddenly changes. Though she was very adamant about divorcing him, after his arrest and his subsequent release, Yasmin and Faisal establish a civil relationship, which starkly contrasts with how their relationship was prior to his arrest, where Yasmin used to throw glass bottles at Faisal. Towards the end of the film, although Yasmin and Faisal ultimately separate, Yasmin no longer alternates between her western and Muslim identities. Rather, she chooses to dress in her hijab at all time. The repercussions of the September 11 attacks and the immediate effects it had on Faisal and her family brought her closer to her faith.

Similarly, Nasir also reforms his life. Following the attacks he starts attending radical meetings, where his Muslim ‘brothers’ discuss the violent attacks their fellow brothers are enduring everyday throughout the world. Nasir stops dealing drugs, and becomes more religious. He begins to wear traditional Islamic dress, and finally decides to leave Britain for Pakistan where he will become a “freedom fighter” for the Islamic cause. “Naser! What are you going to tell God when you die? Huh? That I made a lot of money? I had a lot of women? I drove a nice beemer? You think he’s going to be impressed? Take a look at the faces of these fighters. Even in death they have a smile on their faces. They’re going straight to heaven. Think about it,” says Nasir’s friend.

The two most prevalent themes in this film are moderate Islam versus extreme Islam and the difficulty in balancing western and Islamic lifestyles. Prior to September 11, both Nasir and Yasmin were preoccupied with finding acceptance by the British, thus they dressed western and lead a ‘western’ lifestyle outside of their home. However, the attacks of September 11 lead them to develop closer relationships with Islam. Both found solace in their religion, though Nasir in a far more extreme way than Yasmin. The film focused more on Nasir’s decision to become an extremist than on Yasmin’s decision to become a moderate.

Yasmin (2004)
Drama
87 Minutes
Cast:
Yasmin Husseini- Archie Panjabi
Faysal Husseini- Shahid Ahmed
Nasir- Syed Ahmed
Khalid- Renu Setna
John- Steve Jackson
Director: Kenneth Glenaan
Writer: Simon Beaufoy

Brick Lane

A film about a Bangladeshi-Muslim family residing in east London, Brick Lane tells the story of a beautiful woman, Nazneem, who is confined to a small flat with her overweight husband and two young daughters. Nazneem’s marriage to her husband, Chanu, is anything but passionate. However, once she meets the young, charismatic and attractive Karim, she rediscovers happiness.

The film begins with a timid Nazneem, who only tends to her husband and daughters’ needs. She only leaves her home to buy groceries. However, when a new neighbor moves in, Nazneem is persuaded to take up sewing in the comfort of her own home for some extra cash. Although her husband doesn’t approve, he, unlike the stereotypical Muslim husband, allows her to pursue her interest. Throughout the duration of the film, Nazneem receives and sends letters to her sister who lives back in Bangladesh. The letter provide detailed accounts of her sister’s love life. Nazneem, although happy that her sister is enjoying her life, can’t help but feel envious, for she is stuck with a husband who does not excite her. Nazneem is awoken when she sets eyes upon Karim. At first their relationships is innocent, but it quickly turns into a passionate love affair. Nazneem writes to her sister of her newfound love, and her happiness.

After news broke out about the September 11 attacks, Nazneem’s love affair with Karim came to an end. The attacks, which spawned anti-Islamic sentiment in London, frightened the Bangladeshi Muslim community for it became constant targets of Islamophobic epithets. In order to protect themselves, many Bangladeshis, including Karim, formed a group, which they call “Bengal Tigers”, whose purpose is to defend Islam against its attackers. Karim, who in the beginning of the film is a moderate Muslim who dresses in western attire, gradually becomes more and more radical after the September 11 attacks.

In a group meeting towards the end of the movie, Chanu defies the group and questions their motive.

Chanu: What is it you are planning to defend?
Bengal Tigers Member: Islam brova.
Chanu: You think Islam unites us all? You think Islam is the place you come from? Islam is not a country. You think you are my brother more than the next man on the street because we are both muslims? All this fighting talk that we are all brothers…Three million died in East Pakistan in this lifetime. What was that? Brotherly love? It was Muslim killing a Muslim. Have you forgotten? Are you so lost? My Islam is in here (points to heart). And that is the only thing worth defending.

Karim’s transformation coupled with Chanu’s speech at the meeting lead Nazneem to end her affair with Karim, who asked her to end her marriage with Chanu. At the end of the film, Nazneem finally stands up to Chanu and tells her that she does not want to return to Bangladesh. Chanu and Nazneem had been planning their return ‘home’ for quite a while, but Chanu’s urgency to leave London increased after he realized he was unable to pay back the loans he had taken by a money-lending older Muslim woman. Nazneem had also longed to return to Bangladesh to reunite with her sister, but after realizing that her sister’s stories about her ‘love affairs’ were actually her sister’s encounters with various men as a prostitute, Nazneem decided to stay in London. Though she ended her relationship with Karim, it is not clear as to whether or not he was a part of her decision to remain in London.

Nazneem’s last thought in the film reveals her epiphany about love.

“No one told me there are different kinds of love. The kind that starts deep and slowly wears away; that seems you will never use it up and then one day it is finished. Then there is a kind you do not notice at first but which adds a little bit to itself every day like an oyster makes a pearl grain by grain, a jewel from the sand. That is the kind I have come to know.”

Here, Nazneem reflects on her relationship with Chanu. Although he never excited her, he grew on her, and developed a love far more deeply rooted than the first type of love she describes, which characterizes her love for Karim.
The film concludes with Chanu’s departure to Bangladesh, and Nazneem and her daughters playing on the snow covered Brick Lane.

Brick Lane (2007)
Drama
102 Minutes
Cast:
Nazneen Ahmed- Tannishtha Chalterjee
Chanu Ahmed- Satish Kaushik
Karim- Christopher Simpson
Rukshana- Naeema Begum
Bibi- Lana Rahma
Director: Sarah Gavron
Writers: Laura Jones, Abi Morgan

The Infidel

Bursting with humour, The Infidel, tells the journey of Mahmud Nasir, an overweight, moderate Muslim and loving father, who suffers an identity crisis following his mother’s death. Mahmud is married to Saamiya, and has a one son, Rashid, and a young daughter who constantly waves around a sword shouting “jihad” and “death to the infidels”. Islam has always been a very important part of Mahmud’s life, but he occasionally drinks and loves rock music, particularly Gary Page’s song “Close My Eyes”. Rashid tells his father about his plans to marry Uzma, but once Mahmud realizes that Uzma’s father is the extremist Muslim named Arshal al-Masri, Mahmud refuses to allow his son to marry Uzma.

“Look at this. I wrote a letter to the newspaper once explaining why people like us need to stand up to wahabi Nazism, your would be dad-in-law.”
“Give me one thing to make me less calm than inviting Arshad Al-fucking Stalin into my family.”

While cleaning his deceased mother’s house, Mahmud comes across a file that contains his adoption certificate, and discovers that his birth name was Solly Shimshillewitz. The document further reveals that his birth parents were Jewish. Mahmud’s life changes, as he has always thought of himself as a Muslim, but once he discovers that he is Jewish by blood, he seeks the help of the drunkard Jewish cab driver, Leonard Goldberg. Lenny teaches Mahmud about Judaism- traditional dances, Yiddish sayings, and food; however, he does not teach Mahmud about the scriptures.

Trying to locate his birth parents, Mahmud discovers that his biological father, a Rabbi, lives in a Jewish nursing home. A Rabbi who guards Mr. Shimshillewitz’ room tells Mahmud that in order to meet his father, he must learn the basic tenets of the Jewish scriptures such as the Shama and the 5 Books of Moses.

Meanwhile, Mahmud has decided to pretend to be a very devout Muslim so as to impress Uzma’s father for the sake of Rashid’s marriage. At an anti-Israeli demonstration, Mahmud’s kufi falls off to reveal to a kipa inscribed with the Jewish star. Everyone stares at Mahmud in shock. Mahmud quickly takes the kipa, throws it on the ground and burns it while simultaneously shouting anti-Semitic epithets. He doesn’t do this because he is anti-Semitic. He burns the kipa to protect himself, and to prevent fellow Muslims from discovering his Jewish identity.

When Arshad al-Asri, his two mignons, his daughter and his wife meet the Nasris in their home, things quickly take a turn for the worse. Arshad rejects the notion of moderate Islam, and praises Mahmud for his newfound radicalism, as shown by is burning of the kipa.
“Moderation is of course a good thing in moderation. But, this western idea of the “moderate” muslim, that idea I COMPLETELY REJECT. But then, I saw how you had changed.”

After Rashid and Uzma receive Arshad’s blessing for their marriage, the police arrive at the Nasri home accusing Mahmud of violating the Religious Hatred Act. Mahmud, shocked by this news and in trying to avoid his arrest, reveals his Jewish identity. Arshad immediately takes his family and his mignons and leaves the Nasri home. Mahmud’s family leaves him because of his dishonesty. He begs for their forgiveness, but they, specifically Rashid, will not forgive him. Heartbroken, Mahmud returns to the Jewish nursing home to finally meet his father, who, Mahmud learns, died earlier that morning.

Mahmud is left without a father and a family, and so he attends one of Arshad’s rallies where he exposes Arshad’s real identity. Mahmud delivers a PowerPoint presentation, which proves that Arshad al-Asri is Gary Page. Arshad runs out of the auditorium, smirking at Mahmud for his discovery. The film concludes with celebrations of Rashid and Uzma’s marriage, where a woman in a burka break dances to Bollywood music.

Lenny: Am I Muslim enough for ya?
Mahmud: Actually wasn’t that bad ya know? I quite enjoyed it. Being a Jew (points to his nose).
Lenny: What was that?
Mahmud: What was what?
Lenny: You did a…you did a big nose gesture when you said “Jew”.
Mahmud: I did not!!!
Lenny: You did too!
Mahmud: I know, I was just doing a…it’s a friendly wave.
Lenny: Who are you waving at?
Mahmud: What?
Lenny: Who are you waving at?
Mahmud: I was waving at you! Hey!
Lenny: You haven’t learned a thing. You did the big nose, mi-mime. The snozzle mime. That’s what you did.
Mahmud: It’s all anti-Semitism with Jews, you know that? I do a wave at you, I’m Hitler! I invite you to my son’s wedding and what do you do?
Lenny: You know if you’re going to be anti-Semitic at least stop sounding so Jewish.
Mahmud: Ha! There you again!
Lenny: What?
Mahmud: What is it with you people?
Lenny: You are “you people”! That’s why you have a big nose!
Mahmud: There’s nature and there’s nurture. This nose big, yes, but it was made in Pakistan. It’s not Jewish.
Lenny: You know, yeah. That’s right it was made in Pakistan. It’s not Jewish because it doesn’t have enough suffering to be a real Jewish nose.
Mahmud: You’re very racist, you know that?
Lenny: We don’t even know if you’re Izzy’s son!
Mahmud: Let me, let me tell you something- your Cockney accent is SHITE!

The Infidel (2010)
Comedy/Drama
105 Minutes
Cast:
Mahmud Nasir- Omid Djalili
Saamiya Nasir- Archie Panjabi
Rashid Nasir- Amit Shah
Lenny Goldberg- Richard Schiff

Director: Josh Appignanesi
Writer: David Badiel

Conclusion

All four of these films depict the importance of Islamic family values, marriage, shame, honour the struggle that British Muslims endure in trying to preserve Islamic values in their daily British lives, and the difference between moderate and radical Islam. Two of these films, Yasmin and Brick Lane, directly comment on the consequences the September 11 attacks had on the British Muslim community, while The Infidel comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the common perception of Muslims as being anti-Semites. East is East, however, solely portrays British Muslim family life prior to any 21st century Islamic radicalism. With the exception of Mahmud Nasir, the Muslim fathers and husbands suppress their daughters and especially their wives. Marriages in all films are kept very traditional, as both sets of parents must accept and bestow their blessing to the couple. If one set of parents does not approve of the marriage, then the relationship terminates.

Unfortunately, many minority ethnic groups are depicted negatively through exaggerated stereotypes and satire. It is easy to understand why these films have outraged some British Muslims, as all four depict working class, intolerant British Muslims. Mahmud Nasir’s character defies this stereotype, as he seeks to embrace and discover his Jewish ancestry. Similarly, when My Big Fat Greek Wedding premiered a few years ago, I was upset as it portrayed an uneducated, village minded, working class Greek family from the Chicago suburbs. I didn’t want people to that all Greek Americans were like the Portokalos family. “What you mean you don’t eat meat? Ok, I make lamb.” Oh, come on. I don’t know many families that are like that. But just like I realized that this perception of the stereotypical Greek American family makes a blockbuster film, did I realize that many people don’t care to see a non-stereotypical British Muslim family. It is unfortunate that many people will judge certain groups based on what they see in films and television; however, these negative stereotypes of all British Muslims being wife beaters and fundamentalists can be defied if people remember that it is only a movie. Of course movies offer valid cultural critiques and analyses, but the characters and stereotypes they are instructed to perpetuate are exaggerated in many cases.