While our nation is plagued with communal politics, Zaigham Imam’s “Nakkash” (The Craftsman) breaks all prejudices and is beyond all religious boundaries.
Based in the holy city of Varanasi, Nakkash tells the story of a gifted Muslim craftsman, Allah Rakkha, who constructs Hindu temples. It is a symbol of communal harmony. Despite being boycotted by his own community for making Hindu gods and despite facing immense oppression, Allah Rakkah continues to commit himself to his craft, which is said to be his ancestral profession.
The most heart-touching moment in the official trailer is when his son, Mohammad, after visiting a Hindu temple, asks his father who is ‘Bhagwan’ (Hindu god) and Allah Rakkha replies that ‘Bhagwan is the brother of Allah (Muslim God)’.
Strikingly, this movie is based in the city of Varanasi, the 2019 election constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The writer and director of the movie, Zaigham, says, “Today! When the controversy arises on the right to speak, the film Nakkash shows the real scenario of human values and the brotherhood in the country. Being a Muslim, I want to say on this forum that this country is mine as much as it’s of a person, who belongs to any other religion and I have never experienced any religious discrimination in my entire life.”
This movie was chosen by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to represent India’s spirit of communal harmony at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
The movie will be released on May 31.