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.