The report reveals that a petition was filed by followers of Lord Krishna and the Pushtimarg sect. For context, Maharaj is based on the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862. Social reformer Karsandas Mulji alleged that the leaders or the “Maharajs” of the Pushtimarg Vaishnava sect had sexual liaisons with his female devotees. The case went to trial in the Bombay High Court.
As per multiple reports, the Gujarat High Court’s Justice Saneeta Vishen issued an interim order staying the film’s release. A hearing has been scheduled for June 18, 2024.
The official synopsis of Maharaj reads, “The year is 1862, a time when there were only three universities in India, Rabindranath Tagore is a year old and the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 continues to fan the flames of independence. Against all odds, one man takes a courageous stand in a landmark legal battle, a true story that’s now come to light in Maharaj — more than 160 years later.”
Maharaj also features Jaideep Ahlawat, Shalini Pandey, Sharvari Wagh and more.