Besharam Rang controversy: Demand to boycott Pathaan grows on Twitter, ‘burn theatres' says Ayodhya Mahant while Indian minister asks to ‘fix costumes or…’

Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s much-awaited film Pathaan has landed into controversy thanks to its first song “Besharam Rang”, which dropped on YouTube a couple of days ago. In some scenes of the film, Padukone is seen clad in a saffron-coloured outfit, and Khan holds her from behind. Padukone romancing Khan in a saffron-coloured dress has not gone down well with a section of society that has now taken to Twitter demanding a boycott of the film.

The Mahant of Ayodhya's Hanuman Garhi Raju Das has appealed to the public to boycott the film. “I appeal to people to set the theatres where Pathaan will be screened on fire," the Mahant said in a video message.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, on the other hand, said if certain scenes in the song are not "corrected", the government will consider what to do about the screening of the film in the state.

He said the "green" and "saffron" colours of the costume of the actor and the actress need to be "rectified" along with the lyrics of the song and also the title of the film.

"I feel the title of the song “Besharam Rang” is also objectionable in its sense," he told reporters in Indore. “In the song “Besharam Rang” which is made with a contaminated mentality, the actor and the actress are clad in green and saffron clothes in an objectionable manner. I would request to correct the scenes and her (Deepika Padukone's) costumes (in the song), otherwise, whether this film should be allowed in Madhya Pradesh or not will be a question to be considered.”

He further added, “On the one hand he visits Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, which is a good thing, but on the other, he brings women actors in bikinis in his films, this is not good.”

Also starring John Abraham in an important role, Pathaan is directed by Siddharth Anand for Yash Raj Films. The action thriller is slated to hit theatres on January 25, 2023.