“He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it.” – George Orwell in Shooting an Elephant, always made me wonder about how real it stands in our lives.
Humans always trying to wear a mask, becoming a brand and an image fed out into the world. A lie.
In today’s oppressive India, Munawar Faruqui, 30, a Gujarati comedian now living in Mumbai, rose to prominence overnight because of his outspoken remarks. Many people sympathized with him, and rightfully so. The government was unjust to lock up an artist for no reason at all. I, too, advocated for his human rights on social media.
Last week I was using social media which is like the brand-new news laundry; where you get all the dirty and washed news. It was flooded with Munawar Faruqui doing some reality show called “Lock Up”, which I thought was funny at first but then it got really serious and I was shocked to see Kangana Ranaut, who claims to be the hot-blooded Kshatriya as the host of that show.
Trying to imagine Munawar Faruqui collaborating with someone as divisive and fiery as Kangana is hard, to say the least. However, I was able to discover that it is solely for his “entertainment purposes” and nothing else. Is it possible, however, that it is also due to the limelight and the money?
Maybe this is how his face grows on that mask he’s been wearing for years because I believe he’s capable of doing anything, literally anything, other than working with someone he’s shunned on social media several times.
Then again, I always have this faint thought in my head when I think about his stance: If this is how he wishes to communicate his thoughts to Kangana’s audience, it does not have to be shaming her on social media. It will be unfiltered, and it will be open and honest. That’s a compelling reason to take part in this reality show. Being subtle and loud on the show and having a lower risk involved than standing on a stage and making jokes or having easily manipulated conversations.
Although I never expected him to work with someone so ruthless and conservative, it sets with me gradually after reading Oscar Wilde’s novel: The Picture of Dorian Gray where he quotes; “And what sort of lives do these people, who pose as being moral, lead themselves? My dear fellow, you forget that we are in the native land of the hypocrite.” These profound words have reverberated in my psyche for some time now.
Let’s take a look at the masks he is putting on probably. The first is the pleasant and funny one we met through stand-up comedy shows, while the other is the one who agreed to collaborate with a genocidal propagandist. Is it moral or ethical for someone to prioritize money over principles?
It can be tough to remain yourself or stay loyal to your roots and views when you have a vast audience who looks up to you and the other type, who is waiting for your one single mistake. But is it impossible to avoid this significant shift? No. I’m not here to pass judgment on his artistic abilities. I am here to see him as a human and more as an artist, who like everyone is driven by the power of money.
The Munawar we knew before he signed up with fascist enablers was a victim of Islamophobia, and his audience supported him because of his exceptional resilience and resistance as a Muslim. It wasn’t because of his extraordinary comedic abilities.
Art is always political, and artists who recognize this have always been respected by those who understand the importance of art in the world. At first appearance, art and politics appear to be poles apart, with politics focusing on the grime of everyday life and art occupied with the creation of a fantasy world of creative expression. Nonetheless, the two worlds frequently collide, and the result can be explosive.
Munawar’s art was always intertwined with current politics, as evidenced by the majority of his jokes. He frequently mentions all of the discrimination he has faced as a Muslim and how he was forced to relocate to Mumbai. Most of his sets of jokes included these political jokes, and he benefited greatly from them. We all know how difficult it is to exist as a minority in this BJP-ruled India, and yet there he was, standing on a pedestal, discussing sensitive but important issues through his art. Everyone who knew him knew the efforts and risks he is putting himself in and appreciated and supported him through the journey.
When his ostensible mask dropped, his appearance changed dramatically. With one eye gleaming with attention and the other shining with calculation. He decided to be on this reality show by abandoning all of his shame and normalizing Kangana’s toxic and destructive attitudes to get a little extra money.
He still managed to manufacture content out of a concerning situation where Muslims are wrongfully accused and imprisoned without trial for years, which isn’t hilarious this time. It’s tone-deaf and irresponsible of him to compromise his beliefs for the sake of money and fame.
I understand that everyone has their needs and that there are different methods to meet them, but I am also aware that when your supporters are rooting for you, you take measures that consider the ramifications for these individuals. You do what you want, but at what price? Munawar as a person doesn’t bother me nearly as much as Munawar as an artist. He could be the most humble and nice person, but it doesn’t matter when he’s an artist. And leveraging it to his advantage every time he needs sympathy or appreciation from his audience is selfish and ridiculous.
All I wish for is for him to be in a better frame of mind than this. Ordinary people make mistakes, but artists make calculated ones. I can’t read his intentions because he wears so many masks, but all I know is that he could do better and explore other avenues for growth.
As a society, we must continue to call out artists who have exploited us for their gain. I understand that we agree to this when we become their “fan”, but that is where the line should be drawn. Devoting your interest and trust to someone who can manipulate you is scary, and when it’s an artist with millions of followers, it’s a threat to where we’re going as a society and what ordinary people go through unknowingly to bring these artists to fame, power, and money ultimately leading to the creation of capitalist society.
We should be wary of Munawar while he wears a mask and grows into it. Other artists have been doing it for a long time or who may do so in the future. This is our stage too where we use our influence to help them grow. We are only what they have, and they want to please us to stay relevant. Keep an eye out for these artists; it’ll be difficult to spot them with the mask on, but once it’s off, you’ll know what to do. Identify them and hold them accountable because no one else will in this native land of the hypocrite.