All the pre-requisite notions about the teachings of Quran..
If we talk about cultural aesthetics and apt portrayal of a particular religion in a TV show, the one that we directly remember about is Zee TV’s Qubool Hai starring Surbhi Jyoti in the leading role.
It certainly seems that the Muslim descent is back at display as the channel is all set to welcome yet another show with similar flavour and backdrop in the form of Ishq Subhan Allah.
Of course, it is only the Muslim flavour that is retained while the concept is completely different.
What Is It About?
In a beautiful picturesque street of a Muslim colony, two pretty girls, (one of them played by Eisha Singh) enter and ask for two cups of tea as a group of men read the headline of a newspaper which says “jihadi hamle mein 10 logo ki maut,” which means 10 people died in a crusade attack.
To this, a man (played by Vinay Jain) remarks that if there is a threat to religion, crusade attacks are bound to happen. Upon hearing this, Eisha’s character comes to the table and politely explains what exactly jihad is and what does it mean!
Irked by the same, the man’s son tells Eisha’s character how his father has been reading all the 5 namaz (Muslim prayers) everyday for the past 40 years and has read the whole Quran. Eisha’s character replies ‘Quran isn’t about mugging up, but about understanding what it preaches’.
Following this, the table is quiet and perturbed too as Eisha’s character walks off.
The Impact
The backdrop of the promo is truly serene, to say the least. From the architecture to the costumes of the characters, you immediately feel the vibe and peace of the show’s cultural reference.
Vinay Jain’s presence is really underrated on Indian TV, where his subtle expressions and masculine hold elevates the idea of him being a character who has a one-sided approach towards jihad and Muslim preaching.
Eisha Singh is absolutely beautiful and impactful too in the promo, where the innocence on her face is perfectly married to the strong thoughts her character exhibits.
The subtle touch of humour at the end of the promo, where the chaiwala comes in and tells ‘kadak hai’ after Eisha’s character finishes what she had to say; but covers up by saying that he meant it for the tea leaves a smile on your face.
The Verdict
Muslims overall, are certainly the most misunderstood people, where the wrongdoings of a particular set of people is attributed to the whole clan. And in a mere 45 seconds, the show already breaks several stereotypes about a particular thinking and how if understood correctly, God is one, it is only the perspective that is different.
Rating – **** (4/5)