Due to purported Muslim stereotype concerns, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman have reportedly banned Salman Khan’s movie Tiger 3, which has hurt the movie’s box office performance. The spy-thriller movie has come under fire for allegedly feeding into Islamophobic clichés, especially after Emraan Hashmi’s depiction as the leader of a worldwide terror cell. Although the ban rumours have not been officially confirmed, there are many who believe they are connected to a scene in which Katrina Kaif is shown wearing a towel. Concerns have also been raised in the Middle East by the film’s India-Pakistan storyline, which centres on characters attempting to save Pakistan’s prime minister from being assassinated.
Tiger 3 is the highest-grossing Diwali release to date, but there might be problems in the Gulf, where 25 to 30 percent of Indian films are sold abroad. The film’s commerce may be impacted by the alleged ban in Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman because of concerns expressed about the way Muslims are portrayed and the stories of India and Pakistan. These reasons have apparently made the Middle Eastern nations wary of distributing the movie in theatres; if the prohibition is upheld, it might negatively impact the film’s box office results there. The particular moment with Katrina Kaif and the overall story could have added to the anxiety in these areas.
