'Maharaj' film stay lifted by Gujarat HC; Junaid Khan starrer streaming on Netflix

The Gujarat high court on Friday (June 21) gave the nod to release the Bollywood film, 'Maharaj', on Netflix.

The film, which stars Aamir Khan's son, Junaid Khan, who essays the role of a real-life respected journalist-cum-social reformer, Karsandas Mulji, was slated to release on June 18. The film was to start streaming without any promotion or teaser.

However, 'Maharaj' ran into trouble when the release was stayed by the court on a petition filed by the Pustimarg sect. The sect said that the film will hurt religious sentiments and disrupt public order and incite violence against the sect and the Hindu religion.

Interim stay lifted

A single judge bench now has lifted the interim stay on the film after arriving at a 'prima facie' conclusion that the movie was not targetted at hurting the sentiments of any community. The judge Sangeeta Vishen also noted that the film had already been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

The court said that that the film 'Maharaj' is based on real events that led to the filing of the 1862 libel case and is not targetted at hurting the sentiments of any community.

The film has been certified by CBFC, an expert body, after considering relevant guidelines, added the court.

In their petition, the Pustimarg sect members had said that the 1862 case decided by English judges of the Supreme Court of Bombay, contained several blasphemous remarks about Hinduism, Lord Krishna and devotional songs and hymns.

Nothing objectionable

On June 19, the court had said it would watch the film and then decide. The suggestion to watch the film was made to the court by the advocates appearing for Yashraj Films and Netflix.

After viewing the film, the court said it found "nothing objectionable that would hurt the religious feelings of the petitioners or a sect".

"The core message of the film...is focussed on the social evil and fight by Karsandas Mulji, who was from a Vaishnavite community himself," said the court, adding that the film in no manner affects or hurts religious feelings.

The court also noted that the book written by Saurabh Shah on which the film is based was published in 2013 and no incidents of communal disharmony had been reported after that because of the publication.

"Thus on mere presumptions, the freedom of expression guaranteed under article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution cannot be curtailed," the court said.

Accordingly, the court vacated the interim stay order and allowed the release of the film.