Sushant Singh Rajput-Sara Ali Khan’s new film, Kedarnath, has reportedly been banned in seven districts in Uttarakhand. Addressing the media on Friday, state tourism minister Satpal Maharaj said that the film goes against their culture and can instigate people. Kedarnath depicts the interfaith love story of a Muslim boy and a Hindu girl, set against the backdrop of the 2013 North India floods.
The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking a ban on the film for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Hindus. Despite the HC ruling, the state government — acting on a report submitted by a committee headed by Maharaj — reportedly asked district magistrates to decide on the matter depending on the situation in their jurisdictions. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Ashok Kumar told news agency PTI that the film has been banned in seven districts: namely, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Pauri, Tehri and Almora.
Last month, Uttarakhand BJP media representative Ajendra Ajay had demanded a banned on the film and accused it of promoting ‘love jihad’.
Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, Kedarnath is co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies and Guy In The Sky Pictures. The film opened to mixed reviews on December 7.