- By Sukanya Saha
- Fri, 26 May 2023 05:36 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Caliphate made its debut on Netflix on March 20, 2020 following its premiere on Swedish TV in January. Like the latest Bollywood hit film The Kerala Story, Caliphate also addresses not only terrorism but also the broader issue of radicalisation.
Despite facing significant controversy, The Kerala Story continues to draw audiences to theatres. Interestingly, the film's plot bears a striking resemblance to this 2020 Swedish web series Caliphate (known as Kalifat in Swedish).
The plot of The Kerala Story revolves around three young Hindu women from Kerala who undergo indoctrination to convert to Islam and are subsequently sent to Syria where they are compelled to join the ISIS terrorist group and subjected to torture. The film, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, has so far collected Rs 213.17 crore in India.
What is Caliphate?
In 2014, the extremist organisation ISIS established its own interpretation of the Caliphate in certain regions of Iraq and Syria, where Islamic law was enforced. The living conditions within this self-proclaimed state were harsh, and even minor offenses resulted in brutal and barbaric punishments.
This oppressive environment instilled fear among the inhabitants. Surprisingly, despite the widely recognised status of ISIS as a terrorist group, thousands of people from Western countries willingly joined their ranks. While some remained enthusiastic supporters, others experienced a change of heart after arriving in the Caliphate.
About Netflix Series Caliphate
Helmed by Guldbagge-awarded director Goran Kapetanovic, this Swedish series delves into the intertwined stories taking place in Sweden and Iraq. It explores the journey of several Swedish individuals who have left their home country to join ISIS, while simultaneously showcasing the efforts of SAEPO, the Swedish security service, to monitor and handle these threats. The plot thickens as an alleged bomb plot by ISIS unfolds within Sweden, adding an element of suspense and creating a captivating narrative that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Caliphate Plot:
This gripping series weaves together three interconnected plotlines. The first storyline follows Pervin, a Swedish Muslim woman trapped in Syria, desperately seeking a way to return home. The second revolves around Fatima, an intelligence officer at Säpo in Stockholm, who is determined to assist Pervin. The third narrative delves into the world of Al Musafir, also known as The Traveler, a young jihadi recruiter involved in radicalising two sisters, Suleika and Lisha, as well as their friend Karima.
Simultaneously, he plans significant terrorist attacks in Sweden with the assistance of secondary characters, including two Swedish brothers who were radicalised in prison. As the series unfolds, the three storylines become intricately entwined, creating a suspenseful and compelling narrative.
The series begins in Syria, depicting a scene where the lead character, Pervin (played by Gizem Erdogan), and other women are gathered in a square. A man is brought forward and his arm is forcibly stretched across a table. The women then witness a horrifying sight as a man standing beside the table brandishes a meat cleaver, raises it high, and ruthlessly severs the man's lower arm.
Married to Hasum, an IS member based in Raqqa, Pervin, becomes aware of an impending attack. She is approached by Fatima, who offers her a chance to secure a safe passage out of Syria in exchange for gathering crucial information about the attack. Pervin, driven by desperation, embarks on a perilous mission to uncover the details, constantly at risk of being exposed. As her life spirals into a nightmarish existence, Pervin faces harrowing challenges in her pursuit of survival and redemption.
Filmed in Stockholm and Jordan, this gripping eight-part thriller maintains a constant sense of suspense as the story progresses towards a looming terrorist attack in Sweden. Wilhelm Behrman, the creator of the series, during an interview in 2020, had opened up on the portrayal of religious fundamentalism in the series.
He told Variety, "We wanted the audience to get lured into the story by starting a classic terrorist plot and then let the drama about the girls be more and more dominant as the viewers get more and more emotionally engaged in them. If we had let the radicalisation story dominate the first episode maybe parts of the audience would have lost interest."
Created by Wilhelm Behrman and Nikolas Rockström, Caliphate has been produced by Filmlance, a renowned Swedish production company. The series, which premiered on January 12, was also picked up for international distribution by Endemol Shine International.