Entertainment

Besharam Rang row: Bihar court files FIR against Deepika Padukone-Shah Rukh Khan for hurting religious sentiments, protests in 7 states

Published

3 years ago

December 18, 2022

Protests have intensified in 7 states regarding Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone’s upcoming film Pathaan’s song Besharam Rang. Demonstrations are being held in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. In Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, five people including Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone have been booked for hurting religious sentiments and spreading obscenity.

Shiv Sainiks in Chhattisgarh have demanded removal of Besharam Rang song from the film. They say that if this is not done, the film will not be allowed to be released in Chhattisgarh. The Hindu Mahasabha is opposing the film in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, saying that they would go to court against it.

Why the controversy?

Deepika Padukone dons a saffron bikini in Pathaan’s song ‘Besharam Rang’. Those protesting say that saffron color is a symbol of Hinduism and Deepika is wearing this colour and dancing on a song with obscene lyrics like Besharam, which is quite objectionable. Use of holy colour like saffron for bikini is unacceptable.

Controversy is happening in these parts of the country regarding the film:

1. Hindu Mahasabha in Uttar Pradesh said – this is an insult to Sanatan culture

In Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, members associated with the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha have announced their anger against the film. The organisation’s national treasurer Dinesh Sharma says that a conspiracy has been hatched in the film to show Sanatan Dharma as weak by wearing saffron clothes. Hindu Mahasabha says that they will demand the court to ban this film.

2. Case against Shah Rukh-Deepika in Bihar

A case has been registered in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur court regarding Pathaan. Muzaffarpur’s advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha on Friday filed a case in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate against 5 people including filmmaker Aditya Chopra, actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone for hurting religious sentiments and spreading obscenity.

Prosecution’s lawyer says that this film has been deliberately made to hurt Hindu sentiments. There will be a hearing on January 3 in this case.

3. Demand to remove Besharam Rang song from the film in Chhattisgarh

State General Secretary of Chhattisgarh Shiv Sena Sunil Kukreja has written a letter to the film’s makers, cinema hall operators and multiplex management. Sunil said in a conversation that the film be allowed to be released only after the song Besharam Rang is removed.

4. Uproar over saffron color bikini in Madhya Pradesh for pat three days

Protests were also being seen in Madhya Pradesh regarding the film. Recently, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had said that if the song lyrics and costumes are not changed, then he will not allow the film to be released in Madhya Pradesh.

5. Warning to theater owners in Rajasthan

In Rajasthan’s Alwar, Hindu organisations continued to protest against the film Pathaan for the second day. They were carrying posters in their hands on which it was written – Boycott Movie Pathaa and that the insult of saffron colour will not be tolerated. The activists of the organisation have issued a warning that if the Pathaan movie is released, then be prepared for dire consequences.

6. Threats to theater owners in Gujarat as well

There has been a demand to ban Pathan in Gujarat as well. Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have said that theater owners will be responsible for any untoward incident if the film is released in the state. They say that the film’s song has been named ‘Besharam Rang’ by associating saffron with obscenity. This song shows the perverted anti-Hindu mindset of Bollywood. We will not allow the film to be released in Gujarat with these scenes, they said.

7. BJP MLA protested in Maharashtra

Maharashtra BJP MLA Ram Kadam has said that if any film hurts Hindu sentiments, it will not be tolerated at any cost. He says that at present there is a Hinduist government in Maharashtra and no such film which is hurting the sentiments of Hindus will be allowed to be released in Maharashtra.

Although Ramkadam says that he is not talking about banning the film, but the filmmakers should come forward and consider what objection the Hindu Sant Samaj has to the film.

Shah Rukh’s reaction came amid controversy

Shah Rukh Khan has broken the silence amidst the Pathaan controversy. He made his first public statement on the controversy over the film. Shah Rukh said at the Kolkata International Film Festival on Thursday that the world may do whatever it wants but all the positive people you and I are all are alive. Shah Rukh’s reference was towards those trolling the film on social media.

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Entertainment

Border 2 box office collection day 12 crosses Rs 286 crore, eyes Rs 300 crore milestone

Border 2 box office collection reaches Rs 286.75 crore after 12 days, putting the Sunny Deol-led film close to the Rs 300 crore milestone.

Published

2 days ago

February 4, 2026

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Sunny Deol’s Border 2 continues its impressive run at the domestic box office, edging closer to the Rs 300 crore mark by the end of its second week. The war drama, which hit theatres on January 23, has shown consistent collections since its release.

On its second Tuesday, the film earned an estimated Rs 5.75 crore, taking its total earnings to Rs 286.75 crore after 12 days.

Border 2 box office performance so far

The film matched its Monday earnings on February 3, adding Rs 5.75 crore to its tally. With this, Border 2 has managed to hold firm on weekdays, a sign of sustained audience interest.

The film delivered a robust opening week, collecting Rs 224.25 crore, supported by the extended Republic Day holiday period.

Second weekend boosts collections

The second weekend provided another lift to the film’s box office numbers. Friday saw collections of Rs 10.75 crore, followed by Rs 17.75 crore on Saturday. Sunday emerged as the strongest day of the weekend, contributing Rs 22.5 crore to the total.

Monday, which coincided with Republic Day, turned out to be the film’s highest single-day performer so far, with earnings touching Rs 59 crore.

With its current pace, Border 2 has already surpassed the opening weekend figures of Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar.

Border 2 review

In a review, film critic Saibal Chatterjee noted that Border 2 succeeds in highlighting the courage of soldiers while also touching upon their emotional vulnerabilities. The film explores themes of separation, loss, fear, and hope, presenting moments of heroism amid personal struggles.

About the film

Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 features an ensemble cast including Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty. Set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the film is positioned as a spiritual successor to the 1997 classic Border.

Entertainment

Why Dhurandhar on Netflix runs shorter than its original theatrical cut

Dhurandhar’s Netflix release sparked confusion over its shorter runtime. The difference is linked to muted dialogue and an updated theatrical cut.

Published

1 week ago

January 30, 2026

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Dhurandhar has finally made its much-awaited debut on Netflix, just days after the Ranveer Singh-starrer completed a blockbuster theatrical run across India. While the film crossed Rs 1,000 crore domestically and went past Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, its OTT release has triggered confusion and criticism over its shorter runtime.

Several viewers took to social media early Friday, claiming that a “censored” version of Dhurandhar was streaming on Netflix. The runtime displayed on the platform is 3 hours and 25 minutes, nearly nine minutes shorter than the film’s originally reported duration of 3 hours and 34 minutes.

What caused the runtime difference

The confusion stems from changes made after the film’s initial theatrical release. According to the revised censor certificate, Dhurandhar now has an approved runtime of 3 hours 28 minutes and 56 seconds. This updated version replaced the earlier cut in cinemas starting January 1.

The revision followed directions to mute two specific words and one dialogue referring to the Baloch community. These changes were implemented without removing scenes, resulting in a marginally shorter runtime.

What viewers noticed on Netflix

Audiences streaming the film on Netflix observed muted portions during a scene involving Sanjay Dutt’s character, SP Chaudhary Aslam. In the original version, the dialogue included a direct reference to a former Baloch police partner. In the revised cut now available on Netflix, those references are muted, while English subtitles offer a generalised translation without naming the community.

Some viewers also pointed out that the film appears to play slightly faster on the platform, contributing to the perception that content had been trimmed.

Is Netflix streaming a censored cut

Industry insiders have clarified that Netflix is carrying the final theatrical version approved by the authorities. As an OTT distributor, the platform uploads films exactly as provided by the producers. The version streaming online is the same revised cut that has been screening in theatres since January.

Importantly, the film’s intense and graphic depiction of violence remains unchanged in the OTT version.

In short, Dhurandhar on Netflix is not a specially edited or censored cut for streaming. It is the updated theatrical version, adjusted for muted dialogue and presented with a slightly faster frame rate.

Following its OTT release, audiences can now look ahead to the sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, scheduled for release on March 19, 2026.

Entertainment

Border 2 box office collection day 1 crosses Rs 30 crore

Border 2 opens to Rs 30 crore on day one, becoming the biggest opener for Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty and Diljit Dosanjh.

Published

2 weeks ago

January 24, 2026

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Border 2 has made an impressive start at the Indian box office, collecting Rs 30 crore on its opening day. The war drama, headlined by Sunny Deol along with Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty and Diljit Dosanjh, opened to largely positive audience and critical response.

According to industry tracking data, the film recorded an overall occupancy of 32.1 per cent on day one. Night shows contributed the highest footfall, indicating strong word-of-mouth towards the end of the day.

Strong show count and urban traction

Border 2 was screened in nearly 6,000 shows across the country on its opening day. Major centres reported heavy traction, with over 1,000 shows in Mumbai and more than 1,500 shows across the Delhi-NCR region. Trade sources noted that urban circuits played a key role in pushing the film past the Rs 30 crore mark.

The opening performance places Border 2 ahead of Dhurandhar, which collected Rs 28 crore on its first day despite having a similar nationwide show count. Dhurandhar later saw consistent growth over its opening weekend, a trend that Border 2 is also expected to follow.

Career-best opening for key cast members

Border 2 has emerged as the biggest opening-day film in the careers of Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty and Diljit Dosanjh. For Varun Dhawan, the film marks his first box office success since Bhediya in 2023. Ahan Shetty, who made his debut with Tadap in 2021, has registered his first theatrical hit with the war drama.

For Sunny Deol, however, Border 2 does not surpass the opening records of Gadar 2, which remains his highest-grossing film with a worldwide collection of Rs 686 crore.

Dhurandhar sees slowdown after Border 2 release

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar’s box office run has slowed following the release of Border 2. The film reportedly earned under Rs 1 crore for the first time in nearly 50 days, reflecting the impact of the new release.

Directed by Anurag Singh and produced by JP Dutta and Nidhi Dutta, Border 2 also features Sonam Bajwa and Mona Singh in prominent roles.