Gujarat High Court Halts Release of Junaid Khan’s Debut Film ‘Maharaj’

AHMEDABAD,GUJARAT : The much awaited first movie of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s son, Junaid Khan, called “Maharaj,” will not be released in Gujarat. Citing issues regarding the substance of the film, the Gujarat High Court has put a stay order on its release until further orders following a plea submitted by a Vaishnav community member.

The movie, produced by Yashraj Films and slated for release on Netflix today, has been halted by an ad-interim order issued by Justice Sangeetha K Vishen.

The court has also issued notices to Yashraj Films, Netflix India, and others involved.

The film was to start streaming on Netlfix from June 14.

The decision came in response to a plea filed on behalf of devotees of Lord Krishna and followers of the Pustimarg sect, who argued that the movie could disrupt public order and incite violence against their sect and the Hindu religion.

The petitioners claimed the Maharaj film is allegedly based on the Libel Case of 1862, which included severely blasphemous remarks about Hinduism, Lord Krishna, and devotional songs and hymns, as decided by English judges of the Supreme Court of Bombay.

Emphasizing the need of honoring religious convictions, the Gujarat High Court underlined during the procedures that a movie that disturbs such beliefs shouldn’t be let to premiere. This choice has spurred a more general discussion on the harmony in India’s dynamic cinema sector between artistic freedom and respect of religious beliefs.

The debate around “Maharaj” has resembled historical events regarding Aamir Khan’s flicks. Especially, Khan’s 2006 movie “Fanaa” has a similar scenario in Gujarat. Aamir Khan’s support of activist Medha Patkar and the Narmada Bachao Andolan set off demonstrations all throughout the state. The general resistance resulted in ‘Fanaa’ being essentially outlawed in Gujarat.

‘Maharaj’s future in Gujarat is yet unknown. Both viewers and the movie business are attentively observing the changes. Advocates of the movie contend that artistic expression is essential and that one should be free to investigate several stories. Opponents, on the other hand, contend that filmmakers should be aware of the cultural influence of their work since respect of religious beliefs is first priority.

The petitioners further argued that the release of “Maharaj” was being done secretively, with no trailer or promotional events, to conceal its controversial storyline. They expressed concerns that the release would cause irreparable harm to their religious sentiments. Despite urgently appealing to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to block the film’s release, no response was received.

Given the global reach of OTT platforms, the petitioners stressed that it would be nearly impossible to rectify the damage caused by the film’s release.