Hyderabad: A collective of social activists, academicians, and legal practitioners has raised strong objections to the Telangana government’s decision to confer the Gaddar Telangana Film Award to the film Razakar (Silent Genocide of Hyderabad), terming it a “polarising and propaganda-driven film.”
In a letter addressed to Telngana chief minister A Revanth Reddy, Cinematography minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and the managing director of the Telangana state film development corporation, the signatories demanded the immediate withdrawal of the award, an enquiry into the jury’s decision-making, and a reaffirmation of the Film Corporation’s commitment to secular values.
“We social activists, academicians, legal practitioners and concerned citizens write to express deep concern and strong condemnation over the Telangana Government’s decision to award the film Razakar (Silent Genocide of Hyderabad) a highly polarising and propaganda-driven film as the Best Film on History under the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards,” the letter stated.
The film, produced and promoted by BJP leaders, has been accused of distorting history and inciting communal tensions. “Its clear intent is to polarise society and target a Muslim community under the guise of historical representation,” the petitioners wrote.
Criticising the jury’s decision, the letter pointed to a specific clause in the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards Regulations, 2024: “The jury must not consider films that disrupt communal harmony and cultural integrity.”
The activists highlighted Regulation 21 of the award guidelines which reads: “All the entries with such subjects that criticize the policies of the Government, disrupting communal harmony, assault on women intentionally and anything that is prejudicial to the time tested traditions and culture, the Jury may not consider selecting such films for awards under these regulations.”
They argued that the award grants state-backed legitimacy to what they described as a “false and dangerous narrative,” risking the spread of communal prejudice under the guise of history.
Citing the examples of The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story, the letter noted a pattern of hate-promoting films being backed by BJP and RSS leaders.
“Razakar is yet another extension of this systematic campaign,” the letter said. “The Telangana government’s selection of this film can therefore be viewed as complicity in a larger conspiracy against Indian Muslims, falsely portraying them as a threat to the majority community.”
The letter clarified that while the signatories do not support the historical Razakars, endorsing this film under the Congress-led state government was “deeply condemnable.”
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