Film criticism in India is getting progressively below the belt. We now have critic Anupama Chopra slamming Madhavan’s Rocketry: The Nambi Effect for showing scientist Nambi Narayanan as a practising Hindu.
Chopra wrote in her review, “The screenplay repeatedly underlines his patriotism and also leans pointedly into his religion. Our first visual of Narayanan is in the puja room at his home. At crucial moments, he prays. Narayanan is a true-blue Hindu patriot.”
To this Madhavan had responded on Twitter saying, “this is who Nambi sir is .. I am totally okay if you did not like or hated the film and I will take it in the chin..but why this ??Come on -we are way Better than this.Regretful”.
However Madhavan later deleted his Tweet.
Speaking to this writer Madhavan explained. “I really don’t want into a slinging match with any critic over their opinion. She’s welcome to comment on the film in any way she thinks suitable. But to hit out at the film for showing our hero in the puja room and being a practicing Hindu is too ridiculous to comment on. Nambi Sir is a god-fearing devout man. If he is shown in his puja room what is the problem with that? I am still trying to understand what the problem is,” says Madhavan.
Netizens have slammed Anupama Chopra for what they see as her Hinduphobia.
A prominent filmmaker who is also a friend of critic Anupama Chopra says he cannot understand what Chopra’s objection is. “Is she upset because Nambi Narayanan is shown to be a godfearing law-abiding citizen? Would she object if the protagonist was show doing his namaaz? Why is she unnecessarily trying to provoke the Hindu element with her ridiculous liberalism?”
