'Maharaj' unlikely to premiere today; HC orders stay amid uproar
What's the story
The Gujarat High Court has issued a stay order, halting the release of the film Maharaj on Netflix, originally scheduled for Friday.
The film stars Junaid Khan, son of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan.
The court's decision on Thursday came in response to objections raised by members of the Pushtimarg religious sect who alleged that the film could incite violence against their followers and Hindus in general.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Despite being a Netflix release and the debut vehicle of a star kid, promotions around Maharaj have been low-key.
Ever since the film's inspiration was reported to be the controversial Maharaj Libel Case of 1862, boycott calls emerged. And, the makers tackled all this hullabaloo by simply not addressing anything.
Yash Raj Films and Netflix didn't even release a trailer for the film. The goal, apparently, was to remain silent so as to avoid adding more fuel to the fire.
Allegations
Judgment excerpts contain defamatory language against their sect: Allegation
Eight petitioners, all followers of Lord Krishna and members of the Pushtimarg sect, claimed that Maharaj was based on the 1862 libel case.
They argued that the film could potentially incite violence against their sect and Hindus.
The petitioners contended that references to court judgment excerpts in the film contained defamatory language affecting their sect as a whole, breaching ethics and codes governing visual content release.
Global concerns
Sect members feared global tarnishing of image
The Pushtimarg sect members expressed concern over the global reach of Netflix as an OTT platform.
They argued that if their sect's image was tarnished by the film, it would be impossible to rectify worldwide.
The petitioners believed that stopping the film's release would only result in minor financial losses compared to causing an irreversible situation for their sect's reputation.
No response
Film producers and Netflix continue to maintain silence
Despite requests for a response or clarification from authorities, filmmakers, and Netflix, only vague replies were received from the filmmakers, according to the petitioners.
The secrecy maintained by Yash Raj Films, the producer of Maharaj, regarding its content, further heightened their apprehension.
While the HC stayed Netflix from releasing the film on Friday on the grounds of possibly hurting religious sentiments, the next hearing is set for June 18.