A contentious Malayalam film titled, ‘Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham‘ is set to hit the theatres on December 2 this year. The movie is based on the ‘heroics’ of Mohammed Ali, the fourth Muslim naval chief (Kunjali Marakkar) of the Zamorin (hereditary ruler) of Calicut. It is the most expensive Malayalam film to date, produced with a budget of ₹100 crores.
With just 3 weeks away from its scheduled release, the film has courted controversy over its ‘glorification’ of Kunjali Marakkar IV. A Twitter user named Kamath (@durga_dasa) pointed out, “Funny to see Hindus obsess with movie Kunjali Marakkar: The Lion of Arabian sea glorifying Kunjali Marakkar IV who betrayed Zamorin, tried to establish an Islamic regime in Malabar with help from Bijapur Sultan & other Islamists.”
Kunjali Marakkar IV, betrayal to Hindu Samoothiris and downfall
As per a research article in Swatantra, the Zamorin (also called Samoothiri) were the hereditary rulers of the Kingdom of Calicut in the Southern Malabar region of Kerala. During the 16th century, the Hindu monarch had permitted Muslims to settle down, preach and propagate Islam with absolute freedom within the Kingdom. The Samoothiris had appointed four Muslim naval commanders (also called Kunjali Marakkar) between 1507 and 1600 to defend the Kingdom against attacks by a strong Portuguese navy.
The Malayalam film named, ‘Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham’ is based on the ‘heroics’ of Mohammed Ali, who was the Kunjali Marakkar IV between the period 1595 – 1600. Although the Kunjali Marakkars are celebrated in the Southern Malabar region for their valour and often dubbed as ‘freedom fighters’, it is not commonly known that they had betrayed the Samoothiris. After defeating the Portuguese, the Kunali Marakkar IV became arrogant and declared himself as the ‘independent ruler’ of the Malabar Muslims.
Historian KV Krishna Ayyar stated, “The implicit confidence and the wholehearted loyalty of the former days had been gradually impaired by jealousy, fear and uncertainty. Further, the behaviour of the Moplah hero also tended to precipitate a crisis. Success turned his head. He was indiscreet enough to style himself king of the Moors and Lord of the Indian Seas, and to waylay ships bound for Calicut and levy blackmail. He had even the audacity to cut off the tail of one of the elephants belonging to the Zamorin. And when asked to explain his conduct, he added insult to injury by ill-treating the Nayar whom the king had sent.”
“None could number the cruel barbarities practised by him and his against all sorts and conditions of men, without distinction: among others, against his own neighbour, the Nair king Auriole, already mentioned, whom he robbed and pillaged and drove from his kingdom: he cut off the nose and breasts of that prince’s queen, and had himself acknowledged as king. At length, puffed up with prosperity, he would no longer recognise the Samory, and rebelled against him, refusing to deliver up some vessels of his subjects that he had taken; and when commanded so to do, he set all such commands at nought,” read the brief account of French navigator François Pyrard de Laval.
Swatantra highlighted how the same naval commander had not only challenged the authority of Samoothiris but also attacked the subjects of the Kingdom of Calicut. Mohammed Ali also regarded himself as the Lord of the Indian sea and the King of the Moplahs. As such, the Samoothiris forged a treaty with the Portuguese and defeated Kunjali Marakkar IV and brought an end to the saga of Muslim naval commanders. 500 years later, the betrayal of Mohammed Ali is being celebrated in the form of the upcoming film ‘Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham.’
Twitter user Kamanth (@durga_dasa) had shared an article by Deepa Thomas where it was suggested that Kunjali Marakkar IV was not patriotic or anti-imperialist, as propagated in the media. Instead, Deepa Thomas had stated that there was enough evidence to suggest that Mohammed Ali betrayed the Hindu Samoothiris in the interest of religion.
Kamath also highlighted how Malayali director Priyadarshan and actor Mohanlal had made the film,’ Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham’ with little regard to their Hindu Nair ancestry, which had suffered genocide at the hands of the Malabar Islamists.
Family of Kunjali Marakkar IV had raised objection against the movie
In March last year, one descendant of the Islamist Kunjali Marakkar IV had moved the Kerala High Court to stop the release of the Malayalam film. The petitioner, Mufeeda Arafath Marakkar, had accused the filmmakers of portraying a distorted version of history and presenting the Muslim naval commander in a ‘perverted light.’ He had alleged the 16th century Islamist had been presented as a romantic hero and a ‘dancer who sang songs with women.’
“The movie shows the perverted attire of Kunjali Marakkar. He was a pious Muslim and his attire was according to the religious tenets of his time. However, the leaflet shows him sporting an image of Lord Ganapaty in the centre of his turban. As pointed out by Portuguese historians, Kunjali Marakkar and his 40 lieutenants were promised pardon by the Portuguese if they embraced Christianity but they opted death to conversion. In movie, fiction is allowed to a lesser extent, but it cannot distort the original history,” the petition read.
The petitioner had claimed that Mohammed Ali was a bachelor and had no love affairs. He had accused the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) of awarding U/A certification to the film without any application of mind.
