Indian village cancels play over Nawazuddin Siddiqui's participation

Shiv Sena protested against Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s participation

MUMBAI: An Indian village had to cancel a performance of a traditional Hindu play moments before it was due to start after far-right activists opposed the participation of a Muslim Bollywood star, reports said Friday.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, best known outside India for his role in ‘The Lunchbox’, had been due to perform in a theatre production based on the ‘Ramayana’ in his home village of Budhana in Uttar Pradesh state. But organisers cancelled the event after activists from the ultra-nationalist Shiv Sena said they were opposed to a Muslim actor taking part in the Hindu play, according to reports.



"A few members of the Shiv Sena didn't want a Muslim man to play a character in Ram Leela," Damodar Prasad Sharma, president of the Ram Leela Committee, told the Indian Express newspaper. "Then the police told us that we should not let Nawazuddin participate and, if at all we do, and there is a problem during the show, we will have to take responsibility."

The Times of India quoted local Shiv Sena official Mukesh Sharma as saying: "In the 50-60 year history of the Budhana Ramleela, no Muslim artist has set foot on the stage. We couldn't allow that now. It's about tradition."

The Press Trust of India said the performance had been cancelled while Siddiqui took to Twitter to express his disappointment. “My childhood dream could not come true, but will definitely be a part of Ramleela next year,” he tweeted late on Thursday.

My childhood dream could not come true, but will definitely be a part of Ramleela next year.
Check the rehearsals. pic.twitter.com/euOYSgsm3F

— Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) October 6, 2016

‘Ram Leela’ – meaning ‘Ram’s play’ – re-enacts the life of Lord Ram.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2016.