Gujarat High Court Judge to Watch “Maharaj” Film Before Release Decision

AHMEDABAD : A judge from the Gujarat High Court has agreed to view the film “Maharaj,” which has sparked controversy. The movie features Junaid Khan, the son of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan. This decision is being made while there are ongoing legal proceedings that are questioning the release of the Maharaj film on streaming platforms in Gujarat.

At Wednesday’s hearing, the lawyers for both the film producer and the complainants agreed to let the judge watch the film before making a decision. The release of “Maharaj” in the state continues to be temporarily halted.

At the same time, the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, a Hindu religious organization, has escalated its resistance against the film. Saints and mahants from Panchmahal district have submitted a memorandum to the Ahmedabad district collector, urging for a permanent ban on the release of the film.

The saint community has voiced their disapproval of Aamir Khan and other actors whom they feel depict Hindu culture and Sanatan Dharma (eternal law) in a negative manner. They criticized “Maharaj” for perpetuating this pattern, reminiscent of previous movies such as “Padmavati” and “PK,” which they believed were disrespectful to Hindu beliefs.

“The sentiments of Hinduism are hurt by films like Padmavati and PK,” stated the memorandum. “If they persist in producing films in this manner, there will be a strong opposition from the Saints and Gaurakshas (cow protectors).”

The movement also saw participation from the International Western Vaishnav Parishad in Godhra. They reached out to the Gujarat Governor through the Panchmahal District Collector, urging for a prohibition on the show “Maharaj” on the OTT platform.

The memorandum stated that the film is offensive to the Vaishnav community in Sanatan Hinduism, as it allegedly presents their religion and the Vaishnavism sect in a negative light.