Junaid Khan starrer Maharaj gets clean chit from Gujarat HC; stay order lifted as ‘film doesn’t hurt the religious feelings’

Yash Raj Films and Netflix can breathe a sigh of relief as the stay order placed on their film Maharaj has been lifted. As per reports circulating, the Gujarat High Court has given the Junaid Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat and Shalini Pandey starrer – earlier set to release on Netflix on June 14, a clean chit after viewing the film.

Court lifts Maharaj stay order

For the unversed, a day before it was set to release on Netflix, the Gujarat High Court placed a stay order on the film’s release as petitioners claimed the film would hurt the religious sentiments of people. They also stated that the film – based on a real-life court case, could potentially cause law and order issues. The trial for the case began on June 19, with daily hearings from both sides.

As reported by Bollywood Hungama, the advocates representing Yash Raj Films and Netflix reasoned that the film is based on the book ‘Maharaj’ by Saurabh Shah and has been available since 2013. They assured the bench that the film doesn’t depict any religion in a bad light. The publication’s latest report noted that the Gujarat High Court has lifted the stay order placed on Maharaj

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As per the website, on Wednesday, Justice Sangeeta K Vishen was requested to view the film. While giving the judgment on June 21, Justice Vishen stated that the court didn’t find anything objectionable. She also maintained that the film doesn’t hurt the religious feelings of the petitioners or the Pushtimarg sect. She further added that since the time the book ‘Maharaj’ was released, no untoward law and order incident has come to light. Justice Sangeeta K Vishen added that even the petitioners have not placed any such incident on record. As a result, Justice Sangeeta K Vishen decided to vacate the stay order and allowed Netflix to stream the film.

About Maharaj

Set in 1862, Maharaj is based on the Maharaj Libel Case fought in the Supreme Court of Bombay. The case saw a prominent religious figure and Karsandas Mulji, a journalist and social reformer locking horns in court. Besides Junaid Khan, the film – directed by Siddharth P Malhotra, also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Shalini Pandey in pivotal roles. Actress Sharvari has a cameo appearance.

Also Read: Did you know Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan was rejected 7 times before auditioning for Maharaj?