Shabana Azmi's thought process defines the theme of the film "Mee Raqsam", which released digitally this weekend. Pinterest
Said Danish:
"If the origin of bharatnatyam lies in Hindu mythology, it is but obvious that the influences in the art form will come from Hindu gods and goddesses. The qawwali, for instance, is a form of music that emerged from Sufi tradition and Amir Khusrau, so it will have Islamic influences. Now, see how extremely talented Dhruv Sangari is as a qawwali singer. But qawwali doesn't come from Hindu mythology. That does not mean that one can question why Dhruv sings the qawwali. That is the barrier we have to break. Anyone, who is interested in an art form, can learn and practice it, irrespective of the origin of the art form."
"That inclusiveness makes us celebrate our diversity", says ShabanaDirector Baba Azmi added: "Art is a part of the culture. Religion is a different topic. You are born into a religion. If you find any art form fascinating and are interested to learn it, it is your choice. How does it matter which art form originated from which religion? If a youngster, who is a Muslim, finds Bharatnatyam as a beautiful dance form and wishes to learn it, why should religion and society stop her? Art is different from religion, art itself is a religion."
