‘Pathaan’ row: SRK, Deepika’s effigies burnt in Indore as protesters call for ban

Hours after Madhya Pradesh Home Minister, Narottam Mishra, threatened to block the release of Pathaan, one of the most anticipated films of 2023, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, activists of Veer Shivaji Group set afire effigies of SRK and Deepika in Indore on Wednesday (December 15).

The activists protested against the film and one of its songs, ‘Besharam Rang’. They demanded a ban on the film, slated to be released in January next year, alleging the Hindu community was offended by the content of the song.

‘Dirty mindset behind Besharam Rang’

Earlier on Wednesday, Narottam Mishra threatened to ban the film in his state if the makers did not rectify certain scenes, calling Deepika’s saffron costume in the song “highly objectionable.” The BJP leader said that it was clear the scenes were shot with a “dirty mindset.”

Also read: Saffron bikini controversy over ‘Pathaan’ movie song ‘Besharam Rang’

Mishra also alleged that Deepika has been a supporter of the “Tukde Tukde gang” in the JNU case, referring to her visit to JNU in 2016 after the protests there. Her visit became quite controversial.

History of threats

This is the third time recently that Mishra has pulled up film stars and producers for their movies.

In October this year, he warned that he would initiate legal action against the Bollywood film, ‘Adipurush’, based on the epic, Ramayana, if the makers of the film did not remove certain scenes showing Hindu religious figures in an allegedly “wrong manner.”

Also read: SRK visits Vaishno Devi shrine before ‘Pathaan’ release; epitome of secularism, say fans

Before that, in July this year, he issued a threat to Leena Manimekalai that he would lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against a controversial poster of her documentary, ‘Kaali’, as it showed the deity smoking.