FIR filed against Sunny Deol, others for church scene in 'Jaat'
A case is registered against Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda and others over a church scene in the movie 'Jaat' which allegedly hurt Christian sentiments
Bollywood film Jaat, released on April 10, has run into controversy over a scene inside a church that allegedly 'disrespects' Christian sentiments.
A police case has been registered in Jalandhar in Punjab against actors Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda, Vineet Kumar Singh, director Gopichand Malineni, and producer Naveen Yerneni.
The case was filed under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings”.
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Controversial portrayal
The complainant, Vikalp Gold, a resident of Pholdiwal village, stated that a crucifixion scene in the movie mocks Jesus Christ and desecrates a sacred space.
The controversial scene shows Hooda, portraying the primary antagonist, standing inside a church beneath a crucifix positioned above the holy pulpit, while worshippers are engaged in prayer.
The sequence also portrays acts of hooliganism and intimidation within the church premises, which have caused significant offense to the community.
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Community protests grow
The move comes amid objections from members of the Christian community in Punjab, who staged demonstrations outside the police commissioner’s office.
They submitted a memorandum demanding strict legal action, alleging the scene was intentionally included to provoke anger during the holy period of Good Friday and Easter.
Protesters described the portrayal of violence and intimidation inside a church as deeply offensive, objecting to the controversial scene and called for the film’s ban.
Movie’s strong run
Despite the backlash, Jaat has performed well at the box-office. The action drama, starring Deol in the lead and Hooda as the antagonist, collected over ₹61.5 crore in its first week.
Produced by Mythri Movie Makers and People Media Factory, it was released in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Director Gopichand Malineni, known for Telugu hits like Don Seenu and Veera Simha Reddy, made his Hindi directorial debut with this film.
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