Filmmaker and casting director Honey Trehan recently spoke out about what he calls a growing climate of fear and selective storytelling in Hindi cinema. In a conversation with Screen, the filmmaker questioned why Muslim A-list actors continue to headline films but are rarely allowed to play Muslim protagonists, especially in big-budget projects. Citing personal experience, Honey alleged that real-life minority characters are increasingly being rewritten to fit a more “acceptable” narrative.
Honey Trehan on Muslim stars playing Hindu protagonist in films
Honey Trehan admitted that political polarity has also trickled into Bollywood and said, “I think it has changed a lot. There’s a loss of involvement. In today’s times, there are so many films where you can have Muslim A-list actors, but the protagonist has to be Hindu. I don’t understand why that’s the case. At one point of time, I was involved with a film that’s just going to get released. It’s based on a true-life Muslim character. But because it’s a big-budget film with an A-list star, the character has been made Hindu.”
He added, “So, somewhere there’s a fear in society that probably the people in power don’t want to see a real-life hero come from a minority, whether it’s Sikh, Muslim or Christian. I’m not saying that’s what they want, but that’s what I feel when I look at the overall scenario.”
He further added that one cannot make Udta Punjab or Haider in today’s time. The filmmaker spoke about his film Punjab 95, which has been stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for months, and questioned why sensitive films like The Kashmir Files (2022), The Kerala Story (2023), Emergency (2025), The Bengal Files (2025), and The Sabarmati Report (2024) not only released but also received tax-free status and a standing ovation in Parliament. He further stated that had he shown Muslims as villains or portrayed them in a negative light, then his film Punjab 95 would have also received a standing ovation in Parliament.
About Honey Tehran’s recent work
His most recent film is Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Chitrangada Singh in the lead roles. The film is a sequel to the 2020 film Raat Akeli Hai and also stars Deepti Naval, Sanjay Kapoor, Rajat Kapoor, Radhika Apte and Revathi in key roles. It opened to mixed reviews from critics, with criticism centred on the film’s predictability. It is available to watch on Netflix.