‘Disturbed’ Israeli embassy hits out at Bawaal for ‘trivialisation of Holocaust’

Israel's ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, has raised alarm over the "trivialization" of the Holocaust in the Hindi film "Bawaal," released on Prime Video. The movie, starring Varun Dhawan, has faced controversy for using the Holocaust as a backdrop to depict marital discord. Earlier in the week, a prominent Jewish group called for the film's removal from the OTT platform, expressing dissatisfaction with its portrayal of the historical event.

Director Nitesh Tiwari, renowned for "Dangal," helmed the film, which follows high school history teacher Ajay Dixit (Varun Dhawan) and his wife Nisha (Jahnvi Kapoor) on a European tour, visiting significant World War II sites, including Auschwitz and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. While the film's primary focus is on the couple resolving their differences, it vividly invokes the Holocaust in several scenes.

Expressing his concerns on Twitter, Ambassador Gilon stated, "I have not watched and will not watch the movie 'Bawaal,' but from what I have read, there was a wrong choice of terminology and symbolism. The trivialization of the Holocaust should concern everyone." He urged individuals to educate themselves about the horrors of the Holocaust, stressing its significance.

The Israeli embassy in India, on Friday, acknowledged the film's "poor choice" in certain terminology and expressed hope that it was unintentional. They appealed to individuals unaware of the Holocaust's gravity to educate themselves about its historical importance. The embassy emphasized its continuous efforts to disseminate educational materials on this vital topic and encouraged open conversations to promote a deeper understanding of the universal lessons derived from the Holocaust.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, criticized the film for its "extraordinary exploitation" of the Nazi Holocaust as a plot device. Specifically, the organization raised concerns about scenes depicting the protagonists in the Auschwitz gas chamber wearing striped clothing.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC associate dean and director of Global Social Action, stated, "By having the protagonist in this film declare that 'Every relationship goes through their Auschwitz,' Nitesh Tiwari trivializes and demeans the memory of the 6 million murdered Jews and the millions more who suffered at the hands of Hitler's genocidal regime."

As the controversy surrounding "Bawaal" persists, discussions on the responsibility of filmmakers in handling sensitive historical events have emerged, with calls for greater awareness and education about the Holocaust and its lasting impact on humanity.