In a recent controversy surrounding the Bollywood film “Bawaal,” starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), a Jewish human rights NGO dedicated to preserving the memory of the victims of the Nazi Holocaust, has taken a stand against what they deem an inappropriate and offensive portrayal of one of history’s darkest moments.
The movie, directed by well-known Indian filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari and set in contemporary times, incorporates scenes where the protagonists find themselves inside a gas chamber at Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi death camp. Wearing striped clothing, they depict a metaphor for human greed, with the main character comparing everyone to Hitler, saying, “We’re all a little like Hitler, aren’t we?”
The SWC has condemned the film for its gratuitous use of Auschwitz as a mere plot device, deeming it an “outlandish abuse of the Nazi Holocaust.” Rabbi Abraham Cooper, representing the SWC, expressed deep concern in an open letter to Prime Video, urging the OTT platform to remove “Bawaal” from its offerings. He emphasized that Auschwitz is not a metaphor, but rather a grim reminder of humanity’s capacity for evil and a place where six million Jews and millions of others suffered and lost their lives under Hitler’s genocidal regime.
Rabbi Cooper further pointed out that the film’s attempt to draw parallels between the lead characters’ romance and the horrors of World War II trivializes the immense suffering endured by Holocaust victims. Expressing dismay at the filmmakers’ choice to exploit the sensitive subject matter for publicity, the SWC called for an immediate end to the movie’s monetization.
Upon the film’s release, social media was flooded with reactions denouncing its insensitive and far-fetched analogy between romantic relationships and the Holocaust. In a pivotal scene, the lead actors imagine themselves inside a gas chamber dressed in striped clothing, while Hitler is used as a metaphor for human greed. The inclusion of the line, “Every relationship goes through its Auschwitz,” stirred outrage as it made a callous reference to the infamous concentration camp where countless Jews were murdered.
Varun Dhawan, in response to the backlash, defended the scene in an interview with Pinkvilla. He questioned the double standards, stating that similar scenes in English films receive less scrutiny, and urged critics to consider cultural context. However, the SWC remains firm in its stance that the film’s portrayal is unacceptable and belittles the gravity of the Holocaust’s atrocities.
As the controversy continues, the focus remains on the ethical responsibility of filmmakers and OTT platforms to handle historical events with sensitivity and respect. The SWC’s call for the removal of “Bawaal” from Prime Video underscores the importance of preserving the memory of past horrors and not trivializing the suffering of millions for commercial gain.
Sources By Agencies
