TEHRAN – The project manager of “Muhammad, the Messenger of God” has said that they have rejected several proposals from foreigners to venture into sequels to the Iranian movie over dissonance among the narratives. 

Speaking to the Persian service of IRNA on Tuesday, Mohammad-Mehdi Heidarian said that there were plans to make at least two sequels to director Majid Majidi’s 2015 “Muhammad”, the most expensive film ever made in Iran about the childhood of the Prophet of Islam (S).

“Following the completion of the film, we received some proposals from Muslim countries proposing to cover the cost of two or three films about the Prophet (S); even a country said that it is ready to pay the cost of and provide all facilities for the production of seven films,” he said.

“There are still similar bids from Muslim countries, but we want to portray our own narrative of the Prophet Muhammad’s life, therefore we have turned down all such proposals,” added Heidarian and noted, “We basically intend to do the job in the country and not any other country”.

He said that the second sequel to the movie was scheduled to cover the Prophet’s life among tribes and marriage until his appointment to the prophethood, and the third follow-up was slated to portray the other part of the Prophet’s life, when he established the first Islamic government, and finally his death.

“Basic research has been carried out about these parts and the results have been recorded in booklets ready to be changed into screenplays,” Heidarian said. 

He added that there is no plan to make the follow-ups.

Making “Muhammad, the Messenger of God” received negative reactions in some Muslim countries, while some Islamic figures in the countries banned the film.

Renowned international craftsmen and artists such as editor Roberto Perpignani, special effects designer Scott E. Anderson, makeup designer Gianetto De Rossi and Indian composer A. R. Rahman collaborated with Majidi in the production.

In a letter sent to the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi, Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, criticized the film over the depiction of the images of the Prophet (S) and his household.

The movie was slated to be released globally on online platforms on July 21, 2020.

India’s Maharashtra asked the Center for Study of Society and Secularism to block the release of the movie on Indian platforms.

Photo: Alireza Shojanuri acts in a scene from “Muhammad, the Messenger of God”.

MMS/YAW