Mardaani 2 director on Kota controversy: We have used the city as a setting only

Mardaani 2 director Gopi Puthran has clarified that his film does not portray the city of Kota in a negative light. Earlier this week, residents of Kota had approached Lok Sabha speaker and MP Om Birla to register their protest against the film. The residents claimed that Mardaani 2’s trailer — which shows Rani Mukherji as a female cop pursuing a serial rapist — was tarnishing the city’s reputation. 

Addressing their concerns, Gopi stated, “Mardaani 2 addresses a huge societal issue of rape and the rise of horrific crimes committed by juveniles in India. One is deeply moved when such shocking incidents happen and as a writer, I wanted to voice this issue and bring to light a terrible reality.”

The filmmaker said that the makers have agreed to drop the words ‘inspired by true events’ from the trailer to avoid miscommunication. 

“Kota has been used by us as the setting for this film only. We are, in no way, suggesting that such events or incidents happen in Kota, and there was no intention to tarnish the reputation of the city. If this has hurt or upset the sentiments of residents of the city, we are deeply regretful,” Gopi said.

Mardaani 2 is produced by Yash Raj Films. The action thriller is set for release on December 13.