Actress Priya P. Varrier, who shot to fame after her song from the upcoming Malayalam film Oru Adar Love went viral on social media, today moved the Supreme Court seeking Stay on multiple FIRs being filed against the song in Telangana and Maharasthra.
The complaints had alleged that the song `Manikya Malaraya poovi' in the Omar Lulu-directed film had hurt the sentiments of Muslims.
In the petition filed in the Supreme Court, Priya’s lawyer has said that there is a threat to the life of a young girl and her family as fatwas have been alleged to have been issued against her and her family.
The 18-year-old first-year B.Com student had reportedly beaten some of the top Bollywood actresses in terms of Google search after her winking scene from the film, Oru Adar Love, went viral on social media. With her social media followers shooting up, Priya rose to become the face of this year’s Valentine’s Day. She started getting fan messages from across the world. Within days, she also released the film’s teaser with her flying kiss making another instant hit.
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According to the petition, filed by Priya and the film’s director Omar Lulu, an FIR was registered against the song by the Falaknama Police Station at Hyderabad on February 14. Later, the Secretary of Raza Academy filed a complaint with the Mumbai police commissioner to take down the video and prevent it from being broadcast. On February 14, another criminal complaint was filed at Jinsi police station in Aurangabad, Maharashtra by a group of people under the aegis of Janjagran Samithi wherein they have also alleged that the promotional video uploaded on Youtube has hurt their religious sentiment and that of the Muslim community, said the petition.
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The petition said that the entire controversy arises from the lyrics of the song “Manikya Malaraya Poovi” which is a Mappila Song, or a traditional Muslim Song from the Malabar region of Kerala.
“The song describes and praises the love between the Prophet Mohamed and his first wife Khadeeja.
Giving the full translation of the song, the petition said, "It should be important to note that the aforementioned song is originally from an old folk song from Kerala which was written in 1978 by Mr. PMA Jabbar and was first sung by Mr. Thalassery Rafeeq, in the praise of the Prophet and his wife Beevi Khadija. The claims that it hurts the religious sentiments of the Muslim Community are without any basis. "
"What is hard to fathom is that a song which has been in existence for the past 40 years, which was written, sung and cherished by the Muslim Community in Kerala is now being treated as an insult to the Prophet and his wife. It is submitted that a song, which has existed for more than 40 years and which has been cherished by more than 1 Crore Muslim population of Kerala cannot suddenly offend the religious sentiment of the Muslim Community,” said the petition.
