A year on, Malayalam film Hridayam’s ‘parotta and beef curry scene’ sparks a Twitter spat

A Twitter user was offended by the scene in the 2022 film that has a Tyagaraja Keerthana playing in the background.

ByMuhammed Fazil

Published Jun 05, 2023 | 5:08 PM ⚊UpdatedJun 05, 2023 | 5:10 PM

Hridayam Parotta beef scene

A screengrab of the shot from Hridayam.

The 2022 superhit Malayalam film Hridayam is once again in the news after a user tweeted against a scene in which the lead actors are shown enjoying “beef curry and Parotta” — comfort food for many Keralites, cutting across religions.

Swathi Bellam, who calls herself an “Orthodontist Nationalist”, was offended by the scene because it has a Telugu Tyagaraja Keerthana playing in the background.

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‘National dish of Kerala’

In her Tweet, Bellam sarcastically refers to beef was the “national dish of Kerala” and says that the state government would ban “Malluwood” movies if they did not have a scene showing someone eating beef.

She claimed that the music used in the background was a “Rama Sankeertan” and using it in such a scene was an insult to “Sanatan Culture”.

Since the scene, according to the film, is happening in Tamil Nadu, she claimed that Tamil Nadu, which was “part of Bharat culture”, has shifted to “Dravidian mode and Malayalam into Arabic Beef mode”.

“We Telugu and Kannada Hindus still retain our Sanatan culture and we don’t want our Rama Sankeertan to be used to enjoy beef,” she wrote on Twitter.

The tweet had been viewed 1.6 million people within the first 24 hours, and there were reactions both supporting and opposing the tweet.

Mohanlal and banana leaf get dragged in

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who is the father of Pranav Mohanlal who plays the lead in the movie, is also getting dragged into the controversy.

“@Mohanlal is a closet Muslim. He leaves no stone unturned to insult Hindus,” wrote one user.

https://twitter.com/Aparna90842661/status/1665269729936670720

Interestingly, even banana leaves — commonly used in Kerala to serve food — have not been spared.

“The director has left no stone turned unturned to maximise hurting feelings — has deliberately used banana leaves, which is sacred for us,” wrote a Facebook user, Anuradha Rao.

The people supporting the tweet appeared to believe that the migration of Malayalees to the Gulf nations has caused this “weakness” for beef.

“In the past, Kerala Hindus would never eat beef. But due to their frequent travels to the Gulf, they came strongly under the Islam influence and many became beef eaters,” wrote a Twitter user.

“Will it be possible to showcase a normal Muslim family having a pork steak for iftar with Azan playing at the background ?!” asked one Twitter user.

Why beef eating is glorified in malayalam movies. Is it deeply rooted in communist culture. I am so fond of watching Malayalam movies. But it hurts me a lot watching somebody eating beef with Tyagaraju keerthanas being played in the background. It hurts.

Also read: Spat in film fraternity shows the Malayalam industry in a negative light

‘Can eat beef’

However, the people opposing the tweet were questioning her intentions in calling out the scene. Some users also pointed out that ancient Indian culture had beef in its cuisine.

“Raja Janaka served meat of Vatsatari (young Buffalo Calf) to Brahmin priests who officiated at Lord Ram & Sitas wedding! Buffalo Calf meat (veal) is considered divine prasada among Hindus in Nepal and Assam even today! Cow is sacred, but Hindus can eat Beef (Buffalo)!” wrote a person.

Another person quoted the Rig Veda to say that Indians used to consume beef.

“Rigveda (10/85/13) declares, On the occasion of a girl’s marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered. Rigveda (6/17/1) states that Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse and buffalo,” wrote the Twitter user.

However, most Malayalis reacted to the tweet by posting pictures and videos of parotta and beef and also replied with a tweet from Kerala Tourism promoting the dish.

The replies also featured a widely circulated photograph of Kerala BJP chief K Surendran having the “national dish of Kerala”.

Hridayam is directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan and has Pranav Mohanlal, Kalyani Priyadarsha, Darsana Rajendran, Annu Antony and Aswath Lal in the cast.

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