Faria Abdullah stands up for her right to celebrate Bonalu after backlash: To those calling me a kafir, I wish you well

What happened

Her response

Hitting back at the severe backlash she faced over her participation in Hyderabad’s Bonalu festivities, actor Faria Abdullah broke down in an emotional Independence Day video. Faced with religious slurs targeting her Muslim background, she invoked her family’s diverse heritage to shut down the hate and defend her right to celebrate the festival.Faria attended the Bonalu celebrations on August 10 at the Sri Mahankaleshwara Ammavari Temple in Miralam Mandi. Dressed traditionally, she carried a Bonam and joined devotees in the festivities. Videos of the actor dancing to dappu beats at the temple went viral on social media. While several users appreciated her participation, a section of social media users criticised her presence at a Hindu festival, citing her Muslim background. Some even called her a “kafir” and accused her of going against her faith.Addressing the haters, Faria pointed to her family’s background to explain her connection to the festival. She noted that her father, Sanjay Abdullah, was born Hindu before converting to Islam. Because she was raised by a father who loved his chosen religion, she grew up respecting both faiths. “I’ve always seen the good about Islam,” she said.Responding to those calling her a “kafir”, she said, “Whoever is hating on me, whoever thinks that main galat jaa rahi hoon, kafir hoon, whatever you want to say, I wish well for you, bro.” She added, “I want to be aggressive about my love and I will be. I will send love to all of you who are hating on me right now because I know that my heart is true. I know I’ve experienced the love, I’ve experienced the blessings and experienced what gratitude can do for you. ”