On Thursday, the Gujarat High Court ordered an interim stay on the release of the movie “Maharaj,” starring Junaid Khan, the son of actor Aamir Khan.
The film was scheduled to premiere on the OTT platform Netflix on June 14.
Justice Sangeetha K. Vishen issued an ad-interim order halting the movie’s release and scheduled further hearings for June 18.
“Considered the submissions. Issue notice to the respondents, returnable on 18.06.2024. Ad-interim relief is granted in terms of paragraph 11(C), till the next date of hearing,” the Court directed.
The order was issued in response to a plea filed on behalf of devotees of Lord Krishna and followers of the Pustimarg sect.
The petitioners argued that “Maharaj,” allegedly based on the 1862 Libel Case, could disrupt public order and incite violence against the sect and the Hindu religion. They emphasized that the 1862 case, decided by English judges of the Supreme Court of Bombay, included severely blasphemous remarks about Hinduism, Lord Krishna, and devotional songs and hymns.
They further claimed that the movie’s release was being conducted secretly, with no trailers or promotional events, to conceal its storyline. The petitioners contended that releasing the movie would cause irreparable harm to their religious sentiments. Despite urgently appealing to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to block the film’s release, they received no response.
It was also argued that the global reach and immediate wide distribution of OTT platforms would make it impossible to rectify any damage caused by the movie’s release.
Reportedly, hashtags such as ‘Boycott Netflix’ and ‘Ban Maharaj Film’ have trended on social media, with users demanding a ban on “Maharaj,” claiming that the upcoming period drama offends religious sentiments.
Senior Advocate Mihir Joshi, along with Advocates Keyur Gandhi (Managing Partner) and Kunal Vyas (Partner) of Gandhi Law Associates, appeared for the petitioner.
