Indian Maharajas hardly find any mention in history textbooks whereas “invaders” occupy a major part, claimed actor Akshay Kumar today while speaking on his upcoming movie based on emperor Prithviraj Chauhan.
Akshay Kumar on history books
The movie ‘Prithviraj’, starring Mr. Kumar and Manushi Chhillar, is set to hit the screens this Friday. While speaking about kings like Prithviraj and many other Hindu kings, Akshay Kumar feels these Maharajas should be given more importance in history textbooks rather than “invaders” like Mughal rulers.
“I wanted to know more about Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan. I heard so many stories from him (Director Chandraprakash Dwivedi), but unfortunately, our history textbooks have only 2 or 3 lines about him. Everything else is there in the books, there are a lot of details about invaders, but there’s hardly any mention of our culture and our Maharaja,” Akshay Kumar said in an interview.
#WATCH | Unfortunately, our history textbooks only have 2-3 lines about Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, but a lot has been mentioned about the invaders. There is hardly anything mentioned about our culture and our Maharajas: Actor Akshay Kumar to ANI pic.twitter.com/qnKacpylLv
— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2022
An appeal to the Education Minister
The actor also urged the Education Minister to look into the matter. “Nobody is there to write about it in our history books. I would like to appeal to the Education Minister to look into this matter and see if we can balance it. We should know about Mughals but know about our kings too. They were great too,” said Kumar.
#WATCH | Nobody is there to write about it in our history books. I would like to appeal to the Education Minister to look into this matter and see if we can balance it. We should know about Mughals but know about our kings also, they were great too: Actor Akshay Kumar to ANI pic.twitter.com/05WKtQ4dNw
— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2022
Talking about whether the movie catered to Hindu nationalism, the director of the film Chandraprakash Dwivedi said it is not just about Hindu nationalism but about cultural nationalism too, and that there is nothing wrong with restoring Hindu or cultural nationalism.
“You used the term Hindu nationalism. I would call it cultural nationalism too. Nothing wrong with reviving Hindu nationalism/ Cultural nationalism as this nation’s character is Hindu, when I say Hindu, it means culture,” Dwivedi said.
