Vishva Hindu Parishad raises objection on Junaid Khan’s Maharaj: ‘Show us the film before public release’

Junaid Khan’s Maharaj has landed itself in trouble as the religious organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has raised objection over the depiction of religion in the film. In a letter written to the producer, Yash Raj Films, VHP requested the makers to show the film to them before releasing it.

Gautam Ravriya (coordinator, Konkan region of VHP-Bajrang Dal), wrote in the letter, “In the poster of the film, it appears that it depicts Hindu godman as a villain in derogatory manner. We have also heard that in this film, Hindu deities like Lord Krishna are mocked and insulted. This is an attempt to tarnish the image of Hindus and cause social discord among Hindus.”

They added, “If the film is released, it could affect the law-and-order. It is our request to immediately stop the screening of this film and show it to the Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad before its public release. We fully respect freedom of expression, but it should not mean continuous insult to Hindu religion and its deities. The Hindu society will not tolerate the insult to our religion.”

Members of the group also protested outside the office of Yash Raj Films in Mumbai on Sunday. There has been no official statement from the makers yet.

Maharaj is based on the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862, which was ignited by allegations of sexual misconduct by a priest and is considered to be a significant legal battle in history. The film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Shalini Pandey in supporting roles, as well as Sharvari in a special appearance. It is directed by Siddharth P Malhotra. It is scheduled to release on Netflix on June 14.