Case filed against Saif for Adipurush interview

MUMBAI: The film "Adipurush", directed by Om Raut, has come under the legal scanner with an advocate filing a plea against the filmmaker and actor Saif Ali Khan.

The case is in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

The ACJM court has fixed December 23 as the next date of hearing in the case.

Himanshu Srivastava, a civil court advocate, has given an application through advocate Upendra Vikram Singh under section 156 (3).

According to the petition, the plaintiff has deep faith in 'Sanatan Dharma'.

He said that Lord Ram has been considered a symbol of good and Ravan, a symbol of evil.

In this context, the festival of Vijayadashami is celebrated every year.

The film under the title 'Adipurush' is being made on Lord Ram, starring actor Saif Ali Khan as a character very similar to Ravan.

The petitioner said that on December 6, Saif Ali Khan said in a media interview that "since Lakshman had cut off the nose of Ravan's sister Surpnakha, it was justified that Ravan kidnapped Sita".

Saif also said in the interview that through this film, "the benevolent and humane side of Ravan will be projected". Saif who plays the antagonist had later apologised and withdrawn his statements.

The plaintiff alleged that Saif Ali's interview is a negative portrayal of "faith" and "faith in Sanatan Dharma".

Apart from the plaintiff, witnesses Vinod Srivastava, Ajit Singh, Brijesh Nishad, Nilesh Nishad, Surya Prakash Singh and Vivek Tiwari also saw and heard the interview through Internet media at 8 p.m. on December 9. This has hurt their religious sentiments, the petitioner claimed.