The Gujarat High Court has halted the release of Bollywood star Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan's debut film Maharaj. The decision comes after a pro-Hindutva group claimed that the period drama could potentially "hurt Hindu religious sentiments."
According to India Today, the makers have now decided to challenge the High Court's order. A source close to the publication revealed that producer YRF and streaming platform Netflix would be challenging the petition in court.
Author Saurabh Shah, whose book on the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case has said to inspire the Netflix film, also commented to the matter.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) he assured that the film is not against the ‘Sanatan’ and ‘Vaishnav’ communities. "Please share your opinion after you watch the film Maharaj. This film is neither against Sanatan nor the Vaishnav sect. Me and my entire family are part of the Vaishnav community with full devotion. The book 'Maharaj' written by me and the film made by @yrf, are both in favor of the Vaishnav community. It was because of this case of 1862 that the society was cleansed and even today lakhs of devotees thank Karsandas Mulji. Maharaj is a story that Hindus should be proud of," he added.
The petition filed by the Hindutva group claimed that the film could disrupt public order and provoke violence against followers of the sect and Hinduism.
Meanwhile, a call to 'Boycott Netflix' gained traction on social media, with many criticising the platform for allegedly promoting 'anti-Hindu' content.
Co-starring Jaideep Ahlawat, the film is directed by Siddharth P Malhotra.
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