Members of right-wing outfits Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal on Wednesday created a ruckus at a mall in Ahmedabad and tore posters and other publicity material to protest the release of the upcoming film ‘Pathaan’. The incident took place at the Alpha One Mall Vastrapur area, reported ANI.
The Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone-starrer film courted controversy since the release of its song ‘Besharam Rang’. The film is scheduled to release on January 25.
Following the incident Wednesday, Vastrapur police detained five members, who were released later, said inspector J K Dangar.
The video was shared by on the official Twitter handle of VHP, where the activists can be seen shouting slogans and tearing posters and cut-outs of the film’s star cast.
The Gujarat unit of the VHP had earlier said it will not allow the screening of the film anywhere in Gujarat, mainly because of the song ‘Besharam Rang’, where Padukone is seen wearing a saffron bikini, while dancing with Khan.
“We will not allow Pathaan’s screening in Gujarat. Today’s protest against the movie’s release in Ahmedabad should be taken as a warning by all the theatre owners across the state. They must stay away from releasing the movie in their theatres or multiplexes,” said Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput, as quoted by PTI.
The controversy around ‘Besharam Rang’ started after Madhya Pradesh Home minister Narottam Mishra said that the costumes in the song were objectionable.
“The outfits that have been worn in the song are objectionable. It is evident that polluted minds are behind filming this song. Anyway, Deepika Padukone has been a supporter of the tukde-tukde gang when she went to JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) protests and that is why I would like to request that they should correct the visuals of the song, correct the costumes, or else the permission to release this film in MP should be given or not will be a thinkable question,” Mishra had told reporters.