On May 19, one owner of a designer menswear store in Gujarat’s Anand withdrew his sponsorship for a special screening of the blockbuster movie ‘The Kerala Files’ following boycott calls from angry Muslim customers. The owner identified as Dharmesh Darji alias Bali also posted a video online apologising for agreeing to sponsor the screening in the first place.
Darji owns a shop in Anand named Mubarak Designer Studio. He said that he was surrounded by controversy after a pamphlet advertising a free screening of ‘The Kerala Story’ on May 16 for women above 18 years of age was distributed by members of Shri Gurjar Sorathiya Darji Gyati Yuvak Mandal in the city. The pamphlet mentioned Darji as the sponsor along with a logo of his store.
“I was flooded with calls and people came up to me to tell me that I should stay away from this as it is a controversial movie. I did not know anything about the subject of this film. I was approached by my community members, who sought sponsorship to show the film to women and I agreed. When I learnt what it was about, I regretted it as I do not wish to malign anyone. I named my store Mubarak several years ago and many of my clients and friends are Muslims,” Darji said.
Darji said that he was not well-versed in Hindi and that he and his Muslim friends put videos on social media to appease the neighbourhood’s minority group after the leaflet was distributed and demands for a boycott of the business were made.
“The members of the community were hurt by my unintentional action. I do not watch Hindi movies and I was not even intending to watch this film. Two other tailors, who also sponsored this film from the community, are facing the same kind of boycott. It was not my intention. I have to continue to do my business so I have apologised because I did hurt their sentiments in my ignorance. I have not received any threats,” Darji added.
Darji also said that a social media page of his store had been blocked after alleged mass reporting of the account by members of the Muslim community. “The film was to be shown on May 16. I was not the organiser but I am paying the price for being willing to sponsor an activity of my community,” he said.
“I had no idea what this film is about. I have not watched the film… I became a sponsor but when I learnt what it was about, I decided to withdraw. I do not want women and daughters of our community to watch this film,” Darji could be heard saying in the video that has gone viral over social media platforms.