Last week, 18-year-old upcoming actress Priya Prakash Varrier floored the entire country with her expressions in the video song ‘Manikya Malaraya Poovi’ from the Malayalam film Oru Adaar Love. Directed by Omar Lulu, the video features a girl winking at a boy from afar, who visibly starts blushing later. Soon enough, this part in the video became the subject of several memes and parody videos on the internet.
Two days ago, a complaint was filed against the song alleging that the lyrics hurt Muslim sentiments. Speaking to CNN News, the complainant, Muqueet Khan, said that the translation of the song is about Prophet Mohammat. “I tried to sing the song and when I checked the translation, it was about Prophet Mohammad. A girl and boy are romancing but linking background with religious sentiments,” he said, after reportedly filing a complaint at Falaknuma Police station in Hyderabad.
Responding to the complaints, Omar Lulu and the film’s music composer, Shaan Rahman, have refused to delete any scenes as the video celebrates love. Speaking to ANI, Rahman said: “We are getting more and more support from the society. We believe there is nothing in the film that can hurt anyone’s sentiments. We are ready to go the legal way. No scene will be deleted.”
We are getting more & more support from the society & believe there is nothing in the film that can hurt anyone’s sentiments. We are ready to go the legal way. No scene will be deleted: Shaan Rahman, music director of the film #OruAdaarLove
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2018
The song was originally written by PMA Jabbar, who has been writing ‘Mappilapattu’ (Mappila refers to the Muslim community of north Kerala and Pattu means songs) from the age of 16.
Varrier, who is now regarded as an internet sensation, says she cannot comment about the complaint right now. She also adds that she isn’t quite sure of how to handle all the fame now. “Though I am happy and excited about the movie, I really don’t know how to handle all the fame and popularity that I have gained just in a single day,” she tells ANI.
Meanwhile, as of February 15, Hyderabad’s Jamia Nizamia Seminary has issued a fatwa over the song.
#Hyderabad‘s Jamia Nizamia Seminary issues fatwa over the song #ManikyaMalarayiPoovi of the movie #OruAdaarLove, urging concerned authorities to remove it before release of the film.
— ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2018
Written and directed by Omar Lulu, Oru Adaar Love features mostly newcomers and is produced by Ousepachan Vaalakuzhy under the banner of Ousepachan Movie House. On February 9, the makers had released the song ‘Manikya Malaraya Poovi’, composed by Shaan Rahman and sung by Vineeth Sreenivasan. The film’s teaser was out on February 14, featuring the two leads Varrier and Roshan Abdul Rahoof.
