Gujarat High Court Stays Release Of Junaid Khan's Maharaj Following A Hindu Group's Plea

The Gujarat High Court has halted the release of Maharaj, the debut film of Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan, following a petition from a Hindu group. Directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and produced by Aditya Chopra, the film was scheduled to premiere on Netflix on June 14.

Why has court put a stay on Maharaj's release?

The stay order came after devotees of Lord Krishna and followers of Vallabhacharya, who belong to the Pushtimarg sect, filed a petition, according to multiple media reports. They argued that the film, which appears to be based on the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case, could disrupt public order and incite violence against their community and the broader Hindu religion.

The petition claimed the historical case, which involved allegations of misconduct against a prominent figure and was adjudicated by British judges in Bombay, contains blasphemous content against Lord Krishna and devotional songs, according to multiple media reports.

Additionally, the petitioners criticised the film's secretive release strategy, noting the absence of trailers or promotional events, which they believe was intended to obscure its storyline. They argued that releasing the film would deeply offend their religious sentiments and cause irreparable harm. Justice Sangeeta Vishen issued an interim order to stay the film's release in any form and set a hearing for June 18.

Boycott Netflix trends on social media due to Maharaj

Hashtags like Boycott Netflix and 'Ban Maharaj Film' trended on social media on Thursday with a section of users calling for a ban on Maharaj, claiming the upcoming period drama hurts religious sentiments.

The film, which premieres on Netflix on Friday, marks the debut of Bollywood star Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan. Hashtag AamirKhan was also trending on X.

According to the makers, Maharaj is set in pre-independent India and is based on the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862, which was ignited by "allegations of misconduct by a prominent figure".

(With PTI Inputs)