Bawaal trailer out: Reference to Hitler creates 'bawaal' on social media

Bawaal trailer was released on July 9, and fans couldn't find a connection between the love story and a reference to Adolf Hitler and World War II. Bawaal will release on July 21 on Amazon Prime

Varun Dhawan and Janvi Kapoor starrer "Bawaal" trailer was released on Amazon Prime yesterday, July 9, 2023. As soon as the trailer went viral, it sparked a controversy following a reference to Adolf Hitler in one of its scenes.

Fans looked confused as they couldn't find the connection between the love story and the reference to Adolf Hitler and World War II.

The discussion erupted on social media about the film's tendency to “normalise” Hitler and using “anti-semitic genocidal maniacs” as a tool for character development.

Nitesh Tiwari speaks about the Hitler dialogue

The director of Bawaal, Nitesh Tiwari, at a press conference in Dubai, shared his perception of the Hitler dialogue. He said, "World War II is humongous. There’s so much that had happened and you can’t take everything. You’ve to pick and choose things which would probably impact the journey of the characters and that’s precisely why it [World War II as a backdrop] has been taken. Hitler also happens to be a part of it and you can’t not have him in World War II.

Nitesh further said that all the incidents in the movie are chosen carefully to develop the character's arc as well as their relationship.

Fans outraged on Twitter

The depiction of Hitler and World War II in the love story sparked outrage among netizens. In one of the scenes, Nisha (Janvi Kapoor) says, "We all too are like Hitler, aren’t we? We aren’t satisfied with what we have. We want what others have."

One of the users wrote, “I just saw the trailer of Bawaal and what is this obsession of Indians with Hitler I don't get it. What do you mean 'hum sabke thode hitler ke jaise hi hai (we all are like Hitler, a little bit)'? B***h he almost wiped out an ethnicity. How are me and Hitler similar?"

Another wrote, "I literally have no idea what just happened in this trailer! #Bawa Trailer #VarunDhawan #JanhviKapoor"

"#Bawa Trailer Making your protagonist as “inconsequent & voluble,ill-poised & insecure,funny looking,self-conscious-almost an apotheosis of a little man” as Hitler is interesting but the chances of appearing tone-deaf are huge. We are talking about a genocidal maniac here," a user tweeted.

The movie is set to release on the 21st of July on Amazon Prime.