Shah Rukh Khan is returning to the silver screens after five years but not without controversies surrounding Pathaan. The first song ‘Besharam Rang’ has seen polarizing responses on the choices of clothes of Deepika Padukone. The song is picturised on the beaches of Spain where the actress is dressed in swimsuits. While netizens have called out misogynistic reactions to the choices of outfits a woman should or should not wear, certain sections are calling out for a “boycott” of the film. A mahant from Ayodhya is not only calling for a boycott of the film but also has stated to burn the theatres wherever the film will be screened.
In a video message, the Mahant of Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi Raju Das said, “I appeal to people to set those theatres on fire where Pathaan will be screened”.
“Bollywood and Hollywood constantly try to find ways to make fun of Sanatan Dharma and insult Hindu Gods and Goddesses. In the Pathaan movie, Deepika Padukone wore a bikini which hurt the religious sentiments of saints and of the entire country. Shahrukh Khan constantly makes fun of Sanatan Dharma. What was the need to wear a saffron bikini and perform such steps in the song?” he added in a video.
He also said that this has insulted the sentiments and called for action. “I appeal to the audience to boycott the film and burn the theatres wherever the film will be screened, adding that the makers of the film should be treated in the same manner,” he added.
This comes after Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra raised issues against objectionable costumes in ‘Besharam Rang’ and Maharashtra BJP MLA Ram Kadam said that the film that insults Hindutva will not be tolerated.
A day ago, Shah Rukh Khan was at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival inaugural where he addressed the hate bandwagon. The actor said, “The collective narrative of our times is shaped by social media. Contrary to the belief that social media will affect cinema negatively, I believe cinema has an even more important role to play now.”
SRK continued by saying, “Social media is often driven by a certain narrowness of view that limits human nature to its baser self. I read somewhere that negativity increases social media consumption and thereby increases its commercial value as well. Such pursuits enclose the collective narrative, making it divisive and destructive.”
He added, “We haven’t been able to meet for a while, but the world is becoming normal now. We are all happy and I am the happiest. And I have no qualms in saying, that no matter what the world does, me and you, and all positive people in the world are alive.”
Pathaan is part of Aditya Chopra’s ambitious spy universe and has the biggest superstars of the country Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in it. The film is set to release on January 25, 2023, in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
