The screening of the Marathi movie "Har Har Mahadev" was stalled in separate incidents in Pune and Thane in Maharashtra over the "distortion of history". In Pune city, the show was disrupted by members of a Maratha outfit while in Thane, NCP leader and former minister Jitendra Awhad allegedly led activists to stall the night screening of the movie at a multiplex. Now, a case has been registered against Awhad and hundreds of workers.
A case has been registered at Vartaknagar police station under sections 141,143,146,149,323,504 of IPC and section 37/135 of Mumbai Police for assaulting a film audience by forcibly closing the show of Har Har Mahadev film in Thane mall last night.
Following this, the film director Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande is holding a press conference on November 8 as makers feel that it not ethical to disturb the audience by going to the theatre.
Directed by Deshpande, Har Har Mahadev Sharad Kelkar-starrer is inspired by the true story of Maratha commander Baji Prabhu Deshpande’s legendary rear guard battle that enabled Shivaji’s escape from the Sinhala Fort. Kelkar essays the role of the commander in the film. ALSO READ: Kantara Hindi Box Office Collections: Rishab Shetty's film witnesses phenomenal growth
It was claimed that the history of Shivaji Maharaj has been presented wrongly in the film. For instance, Har Har Mahadev shows a fight between Shivaji Maharaj and Bajibhu, which needs to be proved by history. On the other hands, Bajiprabhu is seen suggesting Shivaji about Afzal Khan, which shows that Shivaji had no idea about his rivals. Also, the characterisation of Shivaji Maharaj is not correct and the words 'Maratha' and 'Marathi' have been used time and again, which also raises questions about the Maratha cultural struggle. Last, Shivaji Maharaj took Afzal Khan in his lap and then killed him, which again raises questions on history.
On November 7, former Rajya Sabha member and Kolhapur royal family scion Sambhaji Chhatrapati had warned that if facts are found distorted in any upcoming films based on legendary warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he would oppose such movies and take all efforts to stall their release.
Sambhaji Chhatrapati, who is a descendent of Shivaji Maharaj, had also expressed displeasure over the Marathi films 'Har Har Mahadev' (released recently) and 'Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Saat' (an upcoming project).
"Members of 'Sambhaji Brigade' stalled the screening of 'Har Har Mahadev' at a theatre in Pune and warned the theatre owner.
The history is distorted in 'Har Har Mahadev' while in 'Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Sath', the depiction of 'Mavle' (soldiers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ) is frightful," alleged Sambhaji Brigade leader Santosh Shinde. ALSO READ: Kantara Hindi Box Office Collections: Rishab Shetty's film witnesses phenomenal growth
(Inputs from PTI and Namrata Dubey)
