The writer of “Sex And The City 2” has denied that his portrayal of Muslims in the long-awaited film sequel is racist, Sky News reported Thursday.
The sequel sees the four best friends go to Abu Dhabi after Kim Cattrall’s character, the man-eating Samantha, is offered an all-expenses-paid junket.
But scenes in which the Manhattan socialites encounter misogynist attitudes from Middle Eastern men and make jokes about women wearing the niqab — a Muslim face veil — have caused quite a stir among film critics.
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Samantha insists on flouting the conservative dress code by wearing skimpy outfits and she upsets locals with her behavior on several occasions.
Michael Patrick King, who helped create the hit show and has written both movie spin-offs, defended it against the charges.
“To me it’s not a political movie,” he told Sky News. “It’s an escapist comedy, but of course Samantha Jones in the Middle East puts a smile on my face only because she’s inappropriate wherever she goes.
“It has nothing to do with the culture of the Middle East she insults — she insults people in New York!
“I want to take people on a big party vacation and when I looked around the world what was the current happening destination to me was Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
“It was thrilling because to me it’s exotic, current and still very steeped in tradition and I knew the Carrie Bradshaw story was really about her dealing with tradition in New York City.”
Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays the film’s lead Carrie Bradshaw, said the racism claims were a misunderstanding.
She said: “I think all of us, and especially Carrie Bradshaw who is the narrator, comes back saying: ‘It’s really important to see the world through a different lens.'”