Protests against Junaid Khan's 'Maharaj' after Hindu guru depicted as villain: 'Will not tolerate any form of insult'

Maharaj poster

The members of Bajrang Dal, a youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, gathered outside Yash Raj Films in Mumbai to protest against the upcoming film 'Maharaj', which marks the acting debut of Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan. The group was against the portrayal of Jaideep Alhawat as a Hindu guru being depicted as a villain.

The letter written by Vishva Hindu Parishad read, "Seeing the poster of the film, it appears that the film depicts Hindu Dharma in a derogatory manner. We have heard that in this film, Hindu deities like Lord Krishna are mocked and insulted. This is an attempt to tarnish the image of Hindu Dharma and cause social discord among Hindus."

"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 Dharma and its deities. The Hindu society will not tolerate the insult of Dharma," it added.

In the film, Junaid plays a journalist. 'Maharaj' is directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and bankrolled by Aditya Chopra under the YRF Entertainment banner. The film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat, Sharvari, and Shalini Pandey.

The film is set in 1862 when there were only three universities in India. The film's official logline reads, "Rabindranath Tagore is a year old and the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 continues to fan the flames of independence. Against all odds, one man takes a courageous stand in a landmark legal battle, a true story that's now come to light in Maharaj -- more than 160 years later."

Karsandas Mulji, a journalist and social reformer, was a pioneering advocate for women's rights and social reform. A student at Elphinstone College in Mumbai and a protege of the scholar-leader Dadabhai Naoroji, he wrote on widow remarriage, stood up for the oppressed, and sowed the seeds of reform in society.

Netflix and Yash Raj Films showcase Karsandas Mulji's acts of bravery in 'Maharaj', which debuts on June 14. Based on the libel case, the film introduces audiences to Junaid Khan in his acting debut.

‘Maharaj' is slated to release on June 14 on Netflix.

(With inputs from ANI)