Bilal: A New Breed of Hero (2015) [Movie Review]


Dir: Khurram Alavi and Ayman Jarnal
Dur: 1 hr 49 mins
Genre: Animated-Drama
Rating: 4/10

As I was browsing for new films based on real life stories to see I stumbled across this. At first, I was a bit surprised because it was the first time I had come across a real story told in the form of animation. I figured from the trailer that it had something to do with a legend in Islam but the trailer gives a different idea of the film altogether.


This is basically the story of Bilal, a servant boy who embraced Islam in its initial stages and enjoyed the benefits of its belief. The film outlines the struggles he underwent but sticks to a rather mundane view of his life. There are no flourishes and definitely no ‘hero’ moments. It is more or less a story of an ordinary boy who did something extraordinary with his life and even managed to revolutionize his region. The animation was not up to the mark and the story could have been told in a better way but nevertheless the film gets its message across. It subtly exposes the greatness of the Islamic faith and even partly reveals its early growth.  

The film has one a couple of awards for its overall presentation. There are a few things that one can learn. Some powerful messages are repeated over and over. What I liked best about the film is the idea of a hero that it portrayed. Unlike common imagination, a hero here, is one who is willing to take control of his/her own life and bravely face the consequences of his/her convictions. This is a strong message for all times and something that children had better learn young.

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