Abstract

Bollywood Cinema has extended fame on the global streets and gained enormous clout through its massive audience. This current research discovers the religious symbols in thirty Hindi Films with regard to the top three minorities in India i.e. Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs. The study theoretically connected with Pierce's theory of symbol and representation theory by Stuart Hall. Qualitative descriptive semiotic analysis was applied to identify the religious symbols and reveal the underlying meaning associated with the minority characters. The symbolic analysis exposed the agenda of the Bollywood films that the symbols associated with the three minor religions like Muslim beards, caps or veils and the concept of Jihad, Sikh turbans and Christian cross were represented in a distorted and negative way. The research is a humble opinion to provide more awareness of movie makers, directors, and producers toward minority religions before making films pertaining to religious minorities.

Key Words

Religious minorities, Bollywood, Semiotic, Religious symbols

Introduction

The research on Symbols has been a dominant period in literary criticism since the twenty century (Kaiser, 1999). Symbols' structure and message in our daily lives lead to something else. (Fleming, 2019). The concept of symbols defines, to reflect anything else, outside, associated with it, in a fundamental sense (Baldick, 2008). Symbols are the artifacts, persons, locations, and any other items to have comprehensive meaning about something. (Lorcher, 2019)The filmmakers and producers used the sense of the symbols to make their meaning with the object in different ways. (Olderr, 2017)

Symbols present the meaning is also in a hidden way first or twice. It is a physical representation and reflection or reframing of realities. (Balla, 2012)

Symbols and religions have a huge impact on the existence of people as they are firmly connected to their social legacy and frequently add to the creation of an individual's personality. A symbol might be a piece of gems, for example, a wedding band, a Muslim beard, a Muslim cap a Kara bangle a cross, or a string or it could be a specific type of dress (niqab,) or head cover (skullcap, Muslim hijab, Sikh turban, Christian Cross, etc.).

The religious symbols are considered not only in the real life of a person but also lead to the attributes which allude to religious behavior. However, this study revealed the outcomes of minorities in the context of Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity. Needs rigorous research would be conducted on religious symbols with respect to minority religions.

This article explores critically religious symbols with respect to the top three minorities in India Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs. How are these symbols and concepts distorted and which meaning is associated in terms of religion? This research will lead to valuable contributions in the religious literature and give a clear understanding of the Bollywood agenda towards minorities with respect to religious symbols.




Statement of Problem

The present research gives the site of on top three Minorities of India, Muslim, Sikhs, and Christian further the pieces of research comprise two elements. The first one is the religious symbol associated with the roles with the respect for their religion regarding Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity. The other is the symbols in the context of a culture which leads to religion, attitude, and behavior and as well as the characteristics associated with the Minority characters. Indian film industry represented the Minority characters in a biased way so it is a need for more exploration of the sad phenomena. So, the current research investigates and criticizes the role of Bollywood cinema whether or not painted as Minority characters with a fair image with regard to religious symbols.




The objective of the research

? To discover what religious symbols are being associated with the characters in Bollywood Movies.

? To reveal the underlying meaning of the dominant symbols in the movies regarding minority characters.

? To identify how the meaning of the symbols assimilates the minority characters with respect to their religion?




Research Questions

? R.Q.1 How does assimilate the religious symbols of religious Minority characters with respect to their religion?

? R.Q.2 How do the Bollywood cinemas deconstruct the reality of symbols of religious minority characters?

? R.Q.3 what are the dominant religious symbols associated with the characters in Bollywood movies?

Literature Review

Bollywood has on the most imperative platforms for the narrative of cultural production in South Asia. As a dominant industry in South Asia, it plays a critical role in projecting discourses such as secularism, nationalism, and communalism (Khatun, 2018)

Consequently, it emphasizes the role of the imagination, suggesting that “cinema plays a highly significant role in creating a way of comprehending the way society is and how it should be. This way of thinking about society is also a way of looking at India” (Dwyer, 2014).

The films take as their starting point those aspects of society with which we have become acquainted. They create squirm plots and use other narrative devices, which infuse the story with sufficient new elements to attract an audience. (Dhillon, 2019) Films lure heavily from reality, representing situations that have a similarity to the everyday stresses and aspirations of viewers’ lives. (Hussain, 2019)

Henceforth, Febianti R (2019) contributes his finding to break down departure Gods and Kinds (2014). As indicated by this methodology, the material world, for example, diminishes and individuals in this context symbolic representation of movie language operate as a signifier doesn’t confuse.

Accordingly, a film can be an icon, index, mark, and symbol (Ferry, 2014) the moviemakers can affect the viewers through symbols and marks. (Scrawler, 2017) the director often used them with the screenplay and within the plot of the story so that the movie is better to maintain its meaning to the audience. (Wilson, 2018)




Theoretical framework

Representation theory by Stuart Hall (1997)

Representation concept by Hall, with Different approaches, this to explore the hidden message of movies pertaining to religious symbols used by the characters, the concept of semiotics with the symbolic point of view in the Bollywood movies regarding minority characters of Muslims, Sikhs, and Christian. The three approaches for understanding the representation concepts,




Reflective approach

Language is not decoding and encoding but it has different aspects of real meaning. It depends on the feelings of messengers and can be said that it is a mirror that reflects reality.




Intentional approach

In this type of approach, the meaning that the Author wants to convey.




Constructionist approach

It constructs the representation of reality to convey the meaning of others however language is the power to convey our concepts.




Charles Sanders Peirce’s theory

As per Peirce's theory of semiotics, the concept of Icon comprises of a likeness in the reference and also connection represents a menu item appears a few characteristics. He further explains that the definition of Index is a sign with a remarkable pre-existing relationship. For example, the impression of the foot by human beings is the indication of somebody and possesses them as Symbols with the regular arrangement of a sign. Indication of something or a language generally referred images, for example, a traffic signal image whose importance is known and concur upon (Olderr, 2017).

The symbol matters not only in the real life of a person but also lead to the attributes which allude to religious behavior. However, this study revealed the results of minorities in the context of Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity.

Methodology

Qualitative Research

The researcher examines the religious symbols by utilizing the descriptive qualitative with a semiotic approach. The descriptive qualitative approach focused on observation of the phenomenon (Lapan, 2011). This approach also means the interpretative understanding of the social phenomena which is integrated into the religious minority characters in Films. Likewise, data were explained in the shape of pictures, script signs, and codes as religious symbols of the minorities. (Maruster, 2013)The focus of the research was on the illustration of religious symbols with regard to minorities in Bollywood movies.




Data Collection technique and sampling.

Documentation techniques were selected for data collection which was based on structured artifacts and drawn from formats like notes, reports, diaries, contracts, statistics letters drafts expert opinions, etc.(Flick,2004) Further, applies the descriptive technique, which means first identifying (Connected with pictures) the phenomenon and then describing it in a meaningful form. The source of data was thirty movies regarding minority characters (Muslim, Christians, and Sikh) which were selected through purposive sampling and randomly in the period 9/11 to 2020.




Analysis, Describing, and Explaining

The questions used by the symbolic theory regarding minority characters. The analysis is to classify the religious symbols in the movies. By using the picture of the Bollywood movies the researcher relates the religious symbols to the events in the movie to analyze the meaning and the roles of the symbols.




Research Design

The researcher applies a variety of methods to explore the said phenomenon. The design of the research is exploratory however; it employs descriptive qualitative and semiotic analysis to explore religious symbols which are associated with the characters.




Religious Symbols Analysis

Symbols in the form of dress, Muslim cap, beard, turban, Kara (A steal began) for example, can be worn by men of both antagonist and protagonist characters as the type of clothing is culturally worn by Minority characters. While Muslims dress for women such as long dress and veil our apparently worn by Muslims. Christ, crucifix, lamb, Nonverbal of Christianity.




Conceptual Definitions of the Religious Symbols

? Getup/Dressing

? Rosary

? Beard

? Muslim Cap

? Sikh Dastar

? Kesh (unshorn hair and beard)

? Kangha (Wooden comb)

? Kara (Steel Bangle)

? Kachha or kachhara (Underwear)

? Kirpan (Sward)

? The cross

? The Christ’s Rex (Christ the King)

? Lamb

? Dove




Getup/Dressing

Dress is considered as a persona of the person who is wearing specific kind of dress in different situation shalwar kameez, which is the culture indication particularly associated according to different situations Muslim Sikhs Christian wear a different kind of dresses like amma among Muslim while worshiping similarly Christian, habit, jezebel, V-shape.




Beard  

This symbol means developing a beard in an extremely emphasized and encouraged manner (Sunnah) of the Messenger of Allah (saw) to be necessary for a man. It milled the ordinary image of being a Muslim mainly for working towards Muslims. The Prophet (peace be upon him) had a thick beard (reported by Muslims from Jaabir) It is an indication of piousness, Sofi, and religious person, particularly among Muslims. It is considered compulsory and obligatory. It could also represent the style among different cultures like Christianity. (Ahmed, 2014)




Muslim Prayer Cap

This is also called a prayer cap. The taqiyah or cap (Topi) furthers the concept of the Muslim prayers the Muslims used such type of cap during prayers and also said that covering the head is a bow to Allah. Most Muslims wear this cap during the five day-to-day prayers. Another type in which Muslims fold the cap or the turban cover is known as a mama in the context of Arabic.




The Kesh (Uncut Hair)

The Kesh means uncut hair in the context of Sikhism. In Sikh religions think about this the Will of God. Forming a Kesh among Sikhs is a symbol of accepting God's will and is strictly forbidden religiously by their religious Guru, by considering it as a divine. (Sing, 2001).




The Comb (Kangha)

The comb is also a religious and cultural obligation for Sikhs and the majority of them perceive it as a mental through to keep their mind active powerful and energetic. (Sing, 2005)




Kara (A Steel Bangle)

Steal bangle specifically worn by Sikh males and females in their right and left hands respectively, is a representation of commitment strength, and unity to avoid fear, of evil or sins. (Sing, 2005)




Kachha or Kachhara (Cotton Undershorts)

Kachha (Underwear) is a symbol of chastity and purity.  Is the symbol of protection among the Sikhs and according to their religious teaching, it is lying around their inner body argon which keeps them safe not only from environmental factors as well as it always makes them sensitize to save themselves from sins. (Sing, 2015)




Kirpan (Sword)

It is a tool for the Sikhs community as an indication of dignity, respect, responsibility, strength, and will to protect others. (Sing, 2005)




Sikh Daster (Turban)

The Turban is likewise to be worn consistently by the Sikh community according to their Holly book. It is their religious obligation by following the teaching of their Guru to wear a turban, continuously by showing their commitments to their Gurus as and symbol of respect honor, and responsibility to cover their hair. (Sing, 2005)




The Cross (Christian)

The Cross is addressed in many structures. It wasn't utilized as a Christian image at the beginning of Christianity, be that as it may (such a large number of excruciating recollections, probably!)The Latin cross or void cross is frequently preferred by Protestants. It helps Christians to remember the restoration, while crosses (focus), with Jesus on them, are all the more frequently found in Catholic and Orthodox houses of worship. It is an indication of Christ's torment and penance. (Oddie, 2001)

A religious symbol highly associated with Jesus Christ to remember the sacrifice of their God and used to wear around their neck for protection from sins.




Christian Rex (Christ the King)

The cross (right) shows Jesus delegated on the cross, stressing his triumph over death. Now and again it shows him with the sun and moon or remaining on the earth. It was the predominant picture until the middle Ages when expanded accentuation on Christ's torment (and consequently his sympathy with our experiencing prompted the pictures of the dead and biting the dust Jesus. (Oddie,2001) It is a symbol of dominance by indicating the victory of God over death. It is generally found in churches and most Christian localities.




The Concept of Meanings

The concept of meaning denotes the key notions that center the sentence. It is the most obvious feature of language because language is used to communicate with each other and convey messages efficiently. The researcher uses denotative and connotative meanings to identify religious symbols from these Bollywood movies so is it assumed that Movies painted the religious symbols meaning different meanings from the real meaning? Therefore the researcher utilized both types of meaning which provides support to the researcher to describe the phenomena. (Wiehardt, 2019)

Findings and Discussion.

Findings.

Muslim Dominant religious symbols 

Different religious symbols were found after the qualitative descriptive analysis which has conducted by the researcher. The dominant symbols of the Minorities which have been found in the selected movies and their description according to their religion are as under:




Vail/Burka

The concept of the veil is still debatable in the Muslim unit of the world. Different communities have different stances on the wearing of the veil. However, the veil is the chief symbol of Muslim minority women. Moreover, the veil has gained massive popularity among Arab countries, as almost all women cover their faces.

Despite the fact that "veil" could be utilized to make sense of a wide scope of headscarves and dresses, the term has tracked down significant importance and application among Muslims forever ago. By and large, a veil can be depicted as a garment worn by ladies to cover segments of the body like the face and head. Generally speaking, the cover is normal among religious Minorities, where ladies are supposed to wear them because of multiple factors, which have gigantically added to the discussions and generalizations connected to the training.

In the movie Secret Superstar (2017) the excursion of Insia begins with a burqa and her freedom closes with eliminating it and approaching to accept her honor without a burqa. Her mom Najma who bears actual put-downs and embarrassments in a confidential space repudiates her significant other in a public space; the religious symbols of Islam Bruq were used in the movies just to hide the identity of Insia. The presentation of the burqa is not in the actual form. While the perception of the burqa already has made the other all activities have dome under the burqa.

Figure 1

Insia with Burka used for Hiding the Identity in the Movie Secret Super Star (2017)



Figure 2

Alia Bhut from the Movie of Gully Boy(2019) with Tights and Top with Veil



The symbolic representation of Bollywood movies was depressed regarding symbols. The movies portrayed the minority characters inaccurately with respect to religion. The picture of the movie taken from Gullyboy (2019) indicates clearly the dress is not the presentation of Islam.

Islam puts a strong emphasis on the manner in which women are supposed to present themselves in society. This is primarily guided by the Hijab, which is based on the presentation of women in a modest way. These headdresses are commonly known as veils and are widely used by Muslim women all over the world.

Islam places solid accentuation on how ladies should introduce themselves to the general public. This is principally directed by the Hijab, which depends on a show of ladies in a humble manner. These hats are generally known as covers and are broadly utilized by Muslim ladies everywhere.

Inside the setting of Islam, there are several veils that are perceived, with the greater part of them having been acquired from the Arab nations, where Islam is accepted to have begun. In any case, the cover has kept on confronting analysis from different societies, which view it as training forced on ladies by men as an approach to persecuting and advancing their power in the general public the society

Figure 3

Snap shot of Different Veils in Islam



As per Islam, the veil has massive importance, which is accepted to be upheld by the Quran, the blessed book of Muslims. This section disks a portion of these variables, which have made the Hijab normal in the Arab World, and in different nations, where Islamic practices are noticed.




Muslim Prayer & Muslim Cap

Zoya in movies Ishqzady (2012) painted from diverse angles while she became a religious lady and offered prayers five times a day the other aspect was the hidden message of the character she is very religious but has bad character while the religion Islam prohibited all those activities which she has. Haseena parker (2017) the role of Haseena a lady gangster that runs the business of her brother Ibrahim was very religious and offered prayers regularly but her body language and expression with her professional was depressed with regard to religion.

Similarly, in Maqbool's (2003) movie the prayer is also presented in the wrong concept where the Maqbool and Nimmy offered prayer after the immoral activities while in Islam the prayer saved you from the said activities. So, the portrayal of Muslim minority characters in films distorts the culture of Islam and paints them with its own agenda. Some flicks were found of the Muslim identity in the movie Mulk (2018) which the Muslim characters wear Muslim dresses have Muslim caps with beards and also the symbol of taveez around the neck all these identities fall in Muslim culture with different concepts.

Figure 4

A Screen shot from the Shahid Movie (2012)



A scene was observed in the movies shahid (2012) where a collective prayer was offered in the camp of terrorism and after this, they are ready for terror activities, the director associated the religious symbols of the Muslims with the terrorism very smartly whereas in Islam the concept of Prayer is purely supplication, purification and considered as ritual acts of worship (ibadat) and teach the individual for peace and tranquility. In Quran Surah Baqarah (2:45)

 “Seek help through patience and prayer and indeed it is difficult to except for the humble submission”

Figure 5

A Picture from the Shahid Movie (2012)



A scene was observed in the movie Shahid where the Muslim priest is giving the lecture to the people (all wearing Muslim caps) in the name of Islam that the meaning of La ilaha ill Allah is Jihad and kill the people in the name of Islam while in Islam it means the pure act of worship of Allah and Islam is the name of peacefulness. The Holy Quran lays down

“Whosever kills the human beings without any reason like man slaughter, or corruption on earth, it is a though he had killed all mankind and whoever saves one it has mankind entirely” (5.32)

In a scene observed in Mulk Movie (2018), The Muslim community represented by a series of surma-eyed men responds by congratulating Murad Ali for Shahid’s ultimate sacrifice. They said that Shahid (Terrorist) performed a good job and he sacrifices his life for Islam. The director failed to convey the actual meaning of Islam but he narrates terrorism with Islam.

Figure 6

Rashi Kapoor and other Muslim Wearing Cap in the Movie Mulk (2018)

A scene was witnessed where Shahid(a leading character from( shahid's movie) went to the terror training for Jihad there all the people were wearing covers on their shoulders, Muslim caps, and lecturing different verses of the Quran and giving the motivations for Jihad.

Figure 7

Represents the Muslim Symbol a Prayer (Shahid Movie 2012)



A scene was observed in the movie shahid. Picture 5, indicated that the leading character Shahid offers a prayer during the training of Jihad and after this, he performs terror activities while Islam is the complete code of life and also teaches the symbol of peace and love the humanity. The director portrays the Muslim symbols negatively and integrated them with terrorism.




Muslim Beard

Doka (2007) also revealed the Islamic nature of the societies in different scenes for example. All the guys who have beards covered on their shoulders, and Keffiyeh. Their eyes are not innocent but always in fear for the others and extreme follow their religion and this figure belongs to the section of Muslims. The director symbolically associated them with religion and terrorism as well. They don’t believe in the country's legal system and are always ready to the innocent people wearing religious symbols and having beards with dreadful faces.

In the movie, Mulk (2018) has a beard through the movie but he is facing difficulties from whole the community which lived around him while he is playing the defender role of the beard but still the director could not portray the characters in the right manner with respect to Islam. A strong verdict of the movie.

“This (India) is as much my home as it is yours. And if you cannot tell the difference between my beard and that of Osama Bin Laden, I still have the right to follow my religion”

Figure 8

From the Movie of Mulk (2018)

Maqbool (2003) projects a strongly Islamic family that reverberates with petty vendettas, extortion, intoxication, mean plots, and illicit intercourse” Islamic tropes appear. For instance, Usman, Abbaji’s trustworthy bodyguard, at Nimmi’s instigation is compelled to drink an entire bottle of an alcoholic drink (that is forbidden in the Muslim religion) to show his loyalty to his lord in front of the gang and, in particular, in the front of Abbaji’s new mistress. Thru a near-up shot, viewers can honestly distinguish that he has surma in his eyes, that's a black line supposedly utilized by Allah. Moreover, he has a beard; he's sporting a white kurta

Figure 9

Muslim Character Having Beard Abba Je Drinking and Offering in Maqbool (2003)



Sikh Symbols in The Bollywood movies

Sikh Turban (Dastar) and beard

Picture 10 represents that a leading actor Akshay Kumar from the movie Singh is King has a trimmed beard and a stylish Turban. Moreover, throughout the movie, the character of Akshay Kumar and side characters were shown in the movie as goons having guns in a humorous way.

Figure 10

Aksay Kumar Wearing Colorful Turban in Sing is King (2008)

This movie hosted inaccurate religious symbols of the Sikh and also disturb the sentiments of the Sikh minority in India. The directors associated the symbols with the Sikh minority roles which are signifiers for their roles in the movie. Through those signifiers, researchers were enabled to identify the role of the character. However, traits of the character in the context of personality were represented in a positive light. But the religious symbols were painted in a negative way

Figure 11

Akshay Kumar Colorful Turban and Fashion of Beard in Sing is King (2008)

The study also found that presently a turbaned character in Bollywood motion pictures is not any more depicted from an entertaining perspective to add some humor to the film. The current scene is a complete change; Bollywood has the sense that a Sikh character is no anymore a 'Joker'. Bollywood films are thinking of that content which has a turbaned saint donning facial hair and it appeared as a lead character in the film

Figure 12

A Turban Snaps from Good News Movie (2019)



A scene was observed in the movie good news 2018 with a flashy turban and the characters were in the Funniest manner. Throughout the films, the Sikh characters played nonsense and make jokes for the pleasance of the audience.




Steal Bangan (Kara)

Steal began (KARA) found in the Sikh movies which means n Symbol of restriction and politeness image that a Sikh is connected to the Guru. It goes about as an update that a Sikh shouldn't do anything which the Guru wouldn't support. An image of God has no start or end. In the movies stealing began painted as a symbol of bravery and the Sikh characters used it for devotion. In the movie, Singh Saab the Great which was released in 2013 a Sikh character work collector Sunny Deol is a very Nobel, honest, and loyal person.

Figure 13

A Steal Bangan Symbol Wearing Sunny Deol in the Movie Sing Saab di great (2013)



Christian religious symbols in Bollywood movies

In Bollywood, the representation of the Christian female is scripted as a sex object. For example, in the movie of Julie (2004) a girl from next door who belongs to Goa has dumped her boyfriend Neil after this she went to Mumbai where she was abused by her boss physically Rohan (Sanjay Kapoor). Christian characters are speaking in English. In the movie Brothers, all the characters were wearing a cross the Christian community was seen in the movie in bad manners and with the names David, Jenny, Monty, Maria, and Gray as well.

Similarly, in the movie Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani painted the Christian character within an orphan context Jenny's identity in the movie is shown as an orphan. Jenny is more aligned with the Hindu ritual practices by foregoing Jenny adopted the Hindu culture as randomly leads to the highest class. The Prem meeting with Jenny as like she appears in the Hindu with the shades of Christian eating habits but she tried that Hinduness inherited in her that may be it was shown as a Hindu right propaganda

Figure 14

Catholic priest portrayed in the movie ‘Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal’



A scene was observed in the movie Kamal Dhamal Malamal. A priest portrayed with a bouquet of flowers with an ‘I Loves You message, a notorious character with garlands of currency notes shown with the church in the background, among others. Semiotic analysis revealed that the film mocks and ridicules the faith and hurts the Christians minority

The religious symbol cross was found in the movie 7 Khoon Maaf the main leading character Susanna. The character of Susanna Anne Marie Johns (Priyanka Chopra) has seven husbands. Her feelings are not well and feel betrayed after her each marriage. So she kills each of her husbands it is all about Susanna who is portrayed as Christians wearing a cross around the neck and painted as a lady killer who kills the humans in the search of inner satisfaction while in the Bible the human being rights have more importance

Figure 15

Marie Johns (Priyanka Chopra) Wearing Cross Symbol



Figure 16

A Dove Symbols Draw in the Movie Brothers (2015)



A dove symbol was found in the movie Brothers on the neck of Akshay Kumar. Who played the role of a fighter in the holy book Bible the dove is a symbol of peace and it is the way that God shows his guiding hand and his lasting peace. (Gensis74.19) the director used the symbol of the dove inappropriate way in the context of Christianity. However, the dove symbol in Christianity is the symbol of promise, and peace which first appeared in the story of Noah and the flood.

A religious symbol of lamb was found in the movie Ajab prem ki Ghazab Kahani. The concept of lamb in Christianity is suffering and triumph typically a sacrificial animal that symbolizes innocence, gentleness, purity, and general ness. A Jesus with lamb scene was observed in the movie Ajab prem ki Ghazab Kahani Jenny was praying in the church for Prem so the Jesus with lamb appear in front of the Lamb and take him away to the church. However, the lamb is the ultimate symbol of Christ repressing Christ's victory and his suffering

Figure 17

A Lamb Symbols in the Movie Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani



Discussion & Conclusion

 A literary instrument that conveys the mindful message is known as a symbol (Harper, 2014) moreover, symbols are the key factor in influencing the mind of the viewers (Hellerman, 2020) it was story artifacts that lead to a unique symbolism that affects the significance of the object or a person. (Wiehardt,2019) As concerned Muslim religious symbols, the veil for a female beard for the male was represented in the Muslim movies’ identities were created and associated with the symbols which publically asserted. However, the Muslim beard has different meanings and implications within a civilization, for example, it looks like filthiness and backwardness, and the person observes as a liberal if he removes it. The removal of the Muslim beard leads to modernization and westernization while the religious symbol Muslim beard is imagination as just a simple mask worn by religious fundamentalists and terrorists who also hide their evils under the cover of the beard.

Therefore, Bollywood's hidden agenda was observed behind the beard discussing Jihadi, savage persons, evil doors, and danger to the nation. While in Islam beard is the symbol of believers' faith in Islam and also the symbol of pure Momin (true Muslim). It is the knot of the sole militant. In present situations beards were seems in the grooming trends among males. Having a beard still regulates the information with regard to Muslims. Bollywood movies Dhoka (2007), Maqbool (2003), Mulk(2018), Shahid(2012), Gange of Waseeypur(2012), etc. observed considerable sides of the Muslims which leads to the dehumanization of Muslims, the illusion of evil and relation to moderates, good guys struggling against bad guys for the nation and peace.

Gully Boy and Secret Superstar Muslims as painted in a patriarchal way their behavior was not good with their families and they have a possessive nature and look very dangerous with their violent acts while in Islam God gives a clear message to humankind with respect to the cruel and brutal environment. Before Islam came there are no rights for human beings, for example, no rights for widows, servants, slaves, etc. Islam is the symbol of mercy and justice in the heart of brutal and cruel worlds. Oppressive behavior is also prohibited in Islam and in the age of pre-Islam, the woman was not considered a human being. Islam has offered full of rights to women in form of God.

 Even the Islam Holy Book Quran emphasizes the right of women “Quran said: O believers show politeness and treat with kindness women even they dislike you” (Nisa, 4) 

The above dominant religious symbols are found in the selected movies. These symbols were not portrayed accurately with respect to religion. Symbolic analysis reveals that the Muslim minority's religious symbols were not according to their religion. Movies were distorting the religious symbols of the Muslim minority as well as other religious minorities. This type of representation of symbols pushes minorities into dark corners. And they were more depressed. After the analysis of data, the researcher got findings that proved this research right, in the Indian movie Islam is being represented negatively.

 It is always presented in Indian movies that all terrorists are Muslims and their jihad is against innocent people and non-Muslims it shows that terrorists are performing religious rituals like praying before terror activities performing prayer. (Ahmed, 2014)  The head of terrorists is always dressed up in Muslim priests’ clothes that are using Quranic versed while lecturing terrorists against non-Muslims and the state.

Symbolically Cinema is portraying Muslims as terrorists and bad people while analyzing the Indian movies qualitatively, the searcher found that Muslims are more shown as terrorists, traitors, disloyal, cruel, and barbarian type people. They are also shown as underworld people like Movie Gang of wassypur, Maqbool, Shahid, Amir, Haseena parker, and Dhoka.

 Semiotic results of the study also revealed that Muslims were also shown as gangster aggressors and underworld down mafia wearing a Muslim cap and covering on shoulders with a special beard look. The movie of camera angling on every symbolic scene was very close and high angle so the religious symbols were clearly depicted by the viewers.

The religious symbols of the Christian Cross are mostly used in the movies so that the character's identification is shown as Christian. And also movies painted the cross in a negative way such movie kya super cool hain the cross was symbolized in a negative way and the character was in a cool look while, actually, we're not the same. The Bollywood cinema is distorting the religious symbols of the Christian community as well as other movies in Julie's characters wearing a cross but acting as prostitutes and erotic objects. 

Ignoring all the Christian standards the filmmakers produced the movies and represented the Christian characters more specifically the Christian female as a hypersexual object who has indulged in pre-marital sex.

The Bible teaches that pre-marital sex is immoral in the verse presented that “marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure and all other sex immoral” (Hebrews 13; 4)

Consequently, the religious symbols of the Sikh community were also used negatively in the Bollywood films like many movies. Sing is bling; sing is king the religious symbol turban was used in a colorful and stylish and also stylish beard from the Sikh point of view. Movies were distorting the image of Sikhs portrayed in humor way symbolically like in the movie Good News, Udhta Punjab, Sing is bling, etc.




Conclusion

After going through the finding, it can be concluded that Hindi Cinema dismantles the styles of representation regarding the religious symbols of minority characters. However, the results of the research are not enough to generalize but enough to say that Bollywood Cinema has manipulated the facts pertaining to minorities for the sake of Political wins, commercial needs, and films making. Bollywood also has a shifting role of portrayal; for example, the previous shades of the movies portray the good frame theme of Muslim society with regard to Muslim culture and religion. But in the era, after 9/11 the portrayal of the Muslim minority is very distorting; it is observed that authoritative accounts of ideology were treated in the movies, and the dominant message was turned around into the religious characters. Muslim symbols associated with villains like beard, prayer, Muslim cap, scarf over the shoulder and wearing shalwar kameez (Dress), holding a tasbeeh (Prayer bead) in their hand with surma in their eyes and a taweez around their neck. This, in turn, reinforces the strongly negative sentiment against the Muslim minority as well as confers not only Islam but also aids Islamophobia. Bollywood stimulated the collective agreement in terms of Minorities and the results suggested that the Cinema's recent fashion is flourishing the disharmony on the public with regard to fuel on Islam phobia. Moreover, the Christian woman pictured in the movies has a white body with a brown cover and a Sikh turban is distorting in a humorous way. The bottom line is that it is misrepresenting the different religious concepts of Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism with regard to religious symbols

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