A day after Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra suggested a possible ban on Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone-starrer ‘Pathaan’, protests erupted in many parts of Indore on Thursday.
The activists of Veer Shivaji Group took out a protest march against the movie, seeking its ban. They also set effigies of actors Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan on fire. The members of the group alleged that the Hindu community is feeling offended by the content of the ‘Besharam Rang’ song.
This came as another outfit, the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, called for a boycott of ‘Pathaan’for ‘insulting’ the colour saffron.
Mahasabha president Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, who is also the head of the Sant (Saint) Mahasabha, said that it seemed that Bollywood had taken ‘supari’ (contract money) for destroying Hindu traditions.
“The actress is shown wearing saffron in an obscene manner and the song being sung is Besharam rang, this is an insult to bhagwa (saffron) and to Sanatan. Bollywood is working completely against Sanatan dharm.”
“It is unfortunate that bhagwa, which is being referred to as besharam, (shameless) has once offered direction to the country and the whole world,” he added. Mahraj also lashed out at the Censor Board for “remaining silent” on the issue.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had on Wednesday taken objection to actor Deepika Padukone’s costume, saying if certain scenes are not “corrected”, the government will consider what to do about its screening.
Mishra, the spokesperson of the state government, also said Padukone has been a supporter of the “Tukde Tukde gang as seen in the JNU case. He said the costumes seen in the song are prima facie “highly objectionable” and it is clearly visible that this song was filmed out of a “contaminated mentality”.
“I would request to correct the scenes and her (Padukone’s) costumes (in the song), otherwise whether this film should be allowed in Madhya Pradesh or not will be a question to be considered,” Mishra told reporters in Mhow in Indore district.
