14 June,2024 05:08 PM IST | Mumbai | Athulya Nambiar
Poster of Maharaj
Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan's debut as an actor was scheduled for today with the release of 'Maharaj' on Netflix. However, the film directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and backed by YRF landed in a legal soup ahead of its release. Hours before its streaming release on Netflix, the Gujarat High Court put a stay on the film following a plea by a Hindu group. The petitioners claimed that the film could potentially incite violence
A reputed, veteran trade source says, "YRF and Netflix are challenging the Stay order. The matter is in court. Maharaj is based on a real-life case. It is adapted from Saurabh Shah's book titled Maharaj. The author has also come out to say that the film does not vilify the Vaishnav community or the religion. It is about a social reformer, who brought about a positive change in society. The makers are hopeful for a positive outcome on this."
The YRF studio and Netflix will challenge the stay order on June 18 once the courts reopen after the extended weekend.
Why the Gujarat HC put a stay on the film's release?
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According to a report in India Today, the stay order was issued on a petition filed on behalf of devotees of Lord Krishna and followers of Vallabhacharya, which is the Pushtimarg sect." As per the petition, the firm that narrates the story of the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862 can potentially incite violence against the followers of the sect and cause chaos in public order.
The petition points out that the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862 was based on allegations of misconduct by a prominent figure and ruled over by the English Judges of the Supreme Court of Bombay. It makes "seriously blasphemous comments against Lord Krishna as well as devotional songs and hymns."
The petitioners also highlighted that the film is being released with insufficient promotional materials including a missing trailer. The petitioners believed that the reason behind the same was to provide limited access to the story of the film. On these grounds, Justice Sangeeta Vishen of the Gujarat High Court passed an interim order staying the release of the movie in any manner whatsoever. The matter has been now scheduled for a hearing on June 18.
