UNPACKING ISLAMOPHOBIA IN BOLLYWOOD: A SOCIAL SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF "THE KARELA STORY FILM"

Authors

  • Dr. Imtiaz Hussain PhD Mass Communication, Institute of Media and Communication Studies Bahaddin Zakria University Multan Author
  • Dr. Shahzad Ali Professor, Director Institute of Media and Communication Studies, Bahaddin Zakria University Multan Author
  • Tamoor Sohail Khan PhD Scholar, Department Mass Communication, Government College University, Faisalabad Author

Keywords:

Islamophobia, Propaganda, Love Jihad, Social Semiotics, Bollywood

Abstract

The article instigates with the debate that Bollywood Cinema redirects hazard bias towards the image of Islam while demonstrating the Muslims. This type of agenda is promoted the roots of Islamophobic narrations. This research looks forward for deeper understanding of new insight the recent Bollywood movie “The Kerala Story” film under the cover of Islampohobia accounts. The study is conceptually guided by the Representation theory and Pierce Semitic theory. Methodically, the research is based on qualitative social semiotic, filmic and denotative analysis of the said phenomenon. With the passage of time, Islamophia is rising in the Bollywood Cinema. The description of Islam and Muslims is found holistically prejudiced. Results of study clearly indicated that the Bollywood Filmmaker is working on hate ideology against the Islam religion through fueling the Islamophobic discourse as portrayed Islam is barbic religion and Muslim as physical assaulter, Radical, black mailer, hypersexual, Deceivers, rapist and hyper aggressive. Furthermore, the Film promotes the idea of love Jihad; Muslims men convert to non-Muslim women into the circle of Islam by trapping them through their intimacy, love and marriage. This type of Film loves the religion Hinduism and circulated the Hate against the religion of Islam eventually; the moviemaker agenda is based on Hate Identity and fuelled Islampohobia around the globe. The propaganda Model developed by Noam and Chomsky also observed in the research. The study confirmed the filters of the Propaganda Model. The Film producers of Bollywood have been retained and intentionally patent the trail of Islamophobia. Similarly in the modern times, Bollywood reveals the films are annoying to finger out Islam and Muslim as new narration and painted as Barbic in India. The researcher suggested that the producers, film directors should be more factual and mindful towards description of Islam religion.

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Published

2026-03-31

How to Cite

Dr. Imtiaz Hussain, Dr. Shahzad Ali, & Tamoor Sohail Khan. (2026). UNPACKING ISLAMOPHOBIA IN BOLLYWOOD: A SOCIAL SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF "THE KARELA STORY FILM". International Premier Journal of Languages & Literature, 4(3), 390-410. https://ipjll.com/ipjll/index.php/journal/article/view/498