Shah Rukh Khan's 'Return Ticket' facing 'Pathaan' heat

Indore, Dec 16: The controversy around 'Pathaan' is now affecting Shah Rukh Khan's other movie 'Return Ticket' as the right-wing activists staged a protest against the shooting of the movie at Panchvati in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday.

The makers have planned to shoot the movie in three locations in Bhedaghat and filming started at Bhedaghat on Friday morning. However, the activists of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) reached Panchvati and started opposing the shooting. The cops arrived at the spot and tried to convince them, but it fell on deaf ears as they sat dharna.

"We have staged a protest that the way our 'Saffron' colour has been insulted in the Pathan movie, we will not allow the shooting of such actors and filmmakers here. The shooting of the movie at Bhedaghat should be stopped immediately. We have also requested the collector to think before giving permission for the shooting that insults our Sanatan Dharma," ANI quoted activist Sumit Singh Thakur as saying.

"We have recited Hanuman Chalisa for purification of the land. We will purify the land with Gau-Mutra after the shooting," he added. City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Priyanka Shukla said, "A shooting of Shah Rukh Khan's movie is going on at Bhedaghat after taking permission from collector's office. The activists of Bajrang Dal and VHP submits a memo to Tehsildar to stop the shooting.

The shooting of the movie is going on with statutory permission and the memorandum submitted by the activists has been sent to senior officials. Further action will be taken accordingly," she added.

Also, Bajrang Dal activists staged a protest against the film at Jyoti Talkies intersection in state capital Bhopal on Friday. Bajrang Dal activist Sunil said, "In Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming movie Pathaan, visuals have been shown to insult Hindu religion. They knew that if they insult hindu religion then a protest will be staged against them and they get free film publicity."

"We demand from the Central government that only that particular song should not be cut from the movie but the entire movie should be banned. So that the other filmmakers and producers should learn lessons about what loss can occur in insulting Hindu religion," he added. "Bajrang Dal has decided that this movie should not be released in Bhopal with such visuals," Sunil added.

It comes at a time when Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra raised objections to the song, which according to him, reflects "dirty mindset."

"I advise the makers of the film to fix the objectionable parts of the song. Earlier, Deepika Padukone had stood in support of the 'Tukde Tukde Gang' at JNU. Her mentality was exposed. I believe the song's title 'Besharam Rang' is also objectionable. Also, the way the colours saffron and green have been used in the costumes is objectionable. Changes need to be made, failing which we will take a call on whether the film should be screened in Madhya Pradesh," he said on Wednesday.