The release of Yash Raj Films’ upcoming period drama of Junaid Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat, Maharaj on Netflix, scheduled for June 14, is uncertain. The Gujarat High Court has granted an ex parte temporary stay on the film’s release following a petition filed by a Hindu group.
According to Film Information (2022), the petitioners who have been connected with Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal are saying that the movie depicts a Gujarat based 19th-century Hindu religious leader in a negative way which can offend people’s sentiments about this religion. This controversy comes on the heels of nearly 10 days of growing tensions surrounding the film.
Through Maharaj, there would be an unveiling of one more chapter in Indian history that remained hidden for long. The movie takes place in pre-independence India (1862) and follows Karsandas Mulji who was a journalist and social reformer fighting against all odds. Junaid Khan is stepping into Mulji’s shoes making his debut as Aamir Khan’s son.
Therein lies our narrative – a nation between changing times. There were only three universities during this period and remnants of Sepoy Mutiny smouldered within Indian soil. His mentor scholar leader Dadabhai Naoroji inspired him making Mulji become a voice for those downtrodden in Mumbai where he was studying then. Following his unwavering commitment to justice, he confronts the powerful figurehead involved in what is now called as Maharaj Libel Case among many other cases.
Maharaj intends to revive Mulji’s courage while also re-presenting it to contemporary audiences. However, depicting Mulji as adherent of Hindu religion has provoked outrage among others; therefore they called for boycotting it due to its insensitive nature according to reports from VHP-Bajarang Dal organization leaders.
As we previously reported by Bollywood Hungama, these groups have raised concerns about the content of the movie in a letter dated 3rd June addressed to both Netflix and Yash Raj Films. The VHP-Bajrang Dal’s Konkan region coordinator Gautam Ravriya who delivered this letter claimed that the movie’s poster design reflects negatively on Hindu religious leader hence rendering it unsuitable for Vishwa Hindu Parishad supporters. They fear that this could be seen as offensive to Hindus and might incite law and order problems.
Additionally, they asked for an exclusive showing or pre-screening by VHP before Maharaj is released worldwide so as to base their next course of action based on what they see there. Also, Ravriya has gone ahead to post videos on social media showing him while making submissions of such letters at Mumbai-based offices belonging to Netflix and YRF. In one of them he is heard saying that since anything objectionable is found by them, VHP-Bajrang Dal would not let it be released.
