Netflix and Yash Raj Films challenge the stay order on Junaid Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat’s film Maharaj. Scroll down to read more.
After the Gujarat High Court’s order to halt the release of Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan’s debut film ‘Maharaj‘, YRF and Netflix have pleaded for the stay on its streaming to be lifted. The upcoming Netflix film has faced controversy after a Hindu group appealed to the court to ban its release, citing ‘hurtful religious sentiments’. According to the Gujarat High Court’s order, the release of Maharaj has been banned until June 18.
A veteran industry insider told Firstpost, “YRF and Netflix are challenging the stay order. The matter is in court. Maharaj is based on a real-life case. It is adapted from Saurabh Shah’s book titled Maharaj. The author has also stated that the film does not vilify the Vaishnav community or the religion. It is about a social reformer who brought about positive change in society. The makers are hopeful for a positive outcome on this.”
In their application, YRF has stated that the film depicts the abuse of power by a specific temple leader within the Vaishnav sect and follows the efforts of social reformer Karsan Das Mulji (a devout Vaishnav himself) to expose the priest’s true abusive nature to both devotees and the general public.
Maharaj is based on a real-life case and adapted from writer Saurabh Shah’s book. The author, Saurabh Shah, also took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared a post defending the movie and appealing to everyone to watch the film first. Sharing the post, he wrote, “Please watch the film ‘Maharaj’ and share your opinion. This film is neither against Sanatan nor the Vaishnav sect. My entire family and I are part of the Vaishnav community with full devotion. The book ‘Maharaj’ written by me, and the film made by @yrf are both in favor of the Vaishnav community. It was because of this case of 1862 that the society was cleansed, and even today, lakhs of devotees thank Karsan Das Mulji. Maharaj is a story that Hindus should be proud of.”
Regarding Maharaj, apart from Junaid Khan, the movie also features Jaideep Ahlawat and Shalini Pandey, with Sharvari Wagh in a guest appearance. Helmed by Siddharth P. Malhotra, Maharaj was initially set to hit the OTT giant Netflix on June 14, 2024.
