'Thank God': Ajay Devgn-starrer faces trouble for 'hurting religious sentiments'
The upcoming Bollywood film Thank God starring Ajay Devgn ran into controversy as a case has been filed against its director Indra Kumar and the lead actors. Filed by lawyer Himanshu Srivastava at a Jaunpur court, it has been alleged that the film's trailer "hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus." A hearing in the matter has been scheduled to be held on November 18.
Why does this story matter?
Apart from Devgn, Thank God has an ensemble star cast including Sidharth Malhotra and Rakul Preet Singh in the lead roles. It is scheduled to hit the theaters on Diwali 2022 (October 25). Amidst the ongoing trend to boycott Bollywood movies, this case has come as another challenge for the film. However, the hearing will happen only after the film's release.
Here's what the petitioner alleged in his complaint
The trailer introduced Devgn as Chitragupta. It featured him in a dapper suit and he was even seen cracking some jokes. Srivastava stated in his petition, "Chitragupta is regarded as the Lord of Karma and keeps a record of a man's good and bad deeds." "Such depiction of Gods can create an unpleasant situation since it hurts religious sentiments," the statement added.
What else did the trailer show?
The trailer released on September 9 showed Malhotra as a sinful man who is neither dead nor alive. Devgn's Chitragupta plays a "game of life" with Malhotra's character and tests his emotions such as anger, jealousy, delusion, and lust. Singh appears as the romantic interest of Malhotra. The film will lock horns with Akshay Kumar's highly-anticipated drama Ram Setu.
Meet the cast and crew of 'Thank God'
Thank God also features Nora Fatehi, Kiku Sharda, Seema Pahwa, and Vikram Kochhar in the supporting roles. Billed to be a slice-of-life movie, the film will also deliver an influential message to a family audience. It is bankrolled by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar along with Ashok Thakeria, Sunir Kheterpal, and Deepak Mukut. Aakash Kaushik and Madhur Sharma have penned the script.
