The title of Kartik Aryan-starrer Satyanarayan Ki Katha will be changed to avoid hurting religious sentiments, director Sameer Vidwans wrote in a statement on Saturday.
The national award-winning filmmaker’s statement read, “A title of the film is something that emerges organically through the creative process. We have taken a decision to change the title of our recently announced film Satyanarayan Ki Katha to avoid hurting sentiments, even if that’s purely unintentional. Producers of the film and the creative team also are in complete support of this decision. We will be announcing a new title for our love story in the due course of our journey.”
The Karthik Aryan starrer musical love saga will be Aaryan’s first time collaboration with Vidwans. The film’s female lead and the rest of the cast and crew are yet to be announced.
Satyanarayan Ki Katha will go on floors towards the end of this year. The film is co-produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Namah Pictures.
Satyanarayan is considered to be the reincarnation of the Hindu deity, Vishnu.
After the makers announced the film on June 23, several individuals including those belonging to right wing groups pro Hindutva groups on social media sought a ban on the film because its title allegedly attacked Hindu beliefs.
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Jeevan Malaviya of the Vishva Hindu Parishad Bajrang Dal branch of Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh, sought to register a complaint on Saturday for attacking the “beliefs of sanatan Hindu dharma” and called for an investigation on the same. Part of the statement reads, “Bollywood, with its anti-Hindu mentality, is mocking the Hindu beliefs everytime they get a chance”.
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Similar incidents have occurred when films and television shows like Padmaavat and Tandav recived hate from pro Hindutva groups.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2018 film Padmaavat was initially titled Padmavati, after the Rajput queen by the same name. The Karni Sena vandalised the sets of the film and attacked the makers for allegedly portraying the queen in a bad light. Bhansali and actor Deepika Padukone, who played the protagonist, received death and rape threats, respectively. Consequently, the title was changed.
Saif Ali Khan-starrer Tandav which released on Amazon Prime Video in Jaunuary, received flak for the portrayal of Hindu god Shiva. The complaint alleged that the show “openly insulted and humiliated” the Hindu deity.
