What is Varun Dhawan starrer Bawaal Auschwitz Controversy? | Explained

Bawaal, starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, faced severe backlash on social media over its depiction of World War II and Holocaust scenes. Netizens labelled Nitesh Tiwari's directorial as "insensitive" and expressed disappointment over the misrepresentation and trivialisation of one of "history's gravest atrocities". Here's looking at how Bawaal scenes courted controversy.

3 things you need to know

• Bawaal was released on OTT on July 21.
• Some of the scenes in the film have been deemed 'insensitive'.
• Nitesh Tiwari and Varun Dhawan have defended the controversial scenes in the film.

Bawaal trailer teases WWII reference

The controversy surrounding Bawaal began after director Nitesh Tiwari said that the film explores some significant events in World War II. One of the scenes in the trailer raised the curiosity of the viewers. In it, Varun Dhawan looked at a photo frame of Hitler and saw his reflection.

(Nitesh Tiwari said that Bawaal is a deeply personal film for him | Image: Nitesh Tiwari/Instagram)

The director then talked about Hitler's role in the movie. Nitesh said, "There is no World War without Hitler." This stoked curiosity among the audience, who were still unclear as to how WWII will be weaved into the story. 

The depiction of Holocaust

Post the film's release, it received mixed reviews. Viewers spoke about the half-baked depiction of WWII and other aspects of war in the film. Some pointed out how the filmmaker touched upon the war for the sake of story progression without establishing the context properly.

Dialogue on Auschwitz invites criticism

One of the most contentious aspects of the film emerged to be a dialogue comparing relationship problems to the monstrosity of Auschwitz. Nisha (Janhvi Kapoor) translates a Holocaust survivor's dialogue to Ajju (Varun Dhawan). "Har rishta apne apne Auschwitz se guzarta hai," loosely translates to "every relationship goes through its Auschwitz." This was widely criticized for its trivialisation of the tragic historical event.

(Bawaal traces the crumbling marriage of a couple right through redemption with strong World War II references | Image: Twitter)

Many called it insensitive and others claimed it watered down war crimes and atrocities. 

The concentration camp scene

Bawaal received special permission to shoot at a concentration camp in Berlin. In one of the dream sequences, the protagonists enter a gas chamber, where they suffocate among Jews. The scene evoked the horrifying reality endured by Holocaust victims but it drew parallels with marital woes. This portrayal was widely criticised and termed "deeply disrespectful" to the memory of those who suffered during the dark period in history.

Varun Dhawan, Nitesh Tiwari defend Bawaal

During a conversation with Pinkvilla, Varun Dhawan pointed out the double standards of the Indian audience and how some viewers become sensitive and get triggered by certain themes in Indian films but not in English films. He questioned why English films are allowed to portray anything and everything without objections, while Indian films face criticism for creative choices. 

(Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor play leading roles in Nitesh Tiwari's directorial Bawaal | Image: Twitter)

In a separate interview, Director Nitesh Tiwari addressed social media reactions to the film and discussed his approach to filmmaking. He said he was constructive criticism and welcomed civil discussions around the film. However, he said that when criticism turns into an attack on the filmmaker's intent, it gets "hurtful". He added that all his films, including Dangal and Chhichhore, have faced criticism, but he believes that constructive feedback can be valuable.