A long pending legal case involving Rajkummar Rao resurfaced this week over a controversial promotional poster for his 2017 film Behen Hogi Teri. The case, which sparked religious outrage at the time, was heard in a Jalandhar court on Wednesday, though Rao was initially absent from the proceedings. His advocate, Darshan Singh Dayal, confirmed the actor’s subsequent surrender before the court on July 28, after which he was granted conditional bail.

What Is The Case About?

The controversy stems from a poster released online on April 4, 2017, featuring Rajkummar Rao dressed as Lord Shiva while casually seated on a silver motorbike, wearing slippers, with a bored expression. The look complete with a crescent moon, rudraksh beads, and a UP license plate, was part of his film character, who portrays Lord Shiva in a Jagran troupe.

However, the poster triggered backlash from certain groups, who alleged that it offended religious sentiments. As a result, an FIR was filed under:

• Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings)
• Section 120B (criminal conspiracy)
• Section 67 of the IT Act (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form)

Director Ajay K Pannalal and producer Tony D’Souza were arrested in Mumbai on May 26, 2017, in connection with the controversy, but were later released on bail. The case was first filed in 2017 by Ishant Sharma, a Hindu leader and film producer, at Police Division No. 5 in Jalandhar.

In his complaint, Sharma claimed that Lord Shiva was shown in a disrespectful way in the film, which he said hurt the religious feelings of the Hindu community.

According to media reports, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had advised the filmmakers to remove a particular scene where Rajkummar Rao, dressed as Lord Shiva, falls off a bike, as it could be seen as offensive. However, the film was eventually given a U/A certificate and released on June 9, 2017, without any cuts.

Recent Development

Rajkummar Rao surrendered before the court in Jalandhar on July 28 in connection with the case related to his Behen Hogi Teri film. After presenting himself before the court, the actor was granted conditional bail.

“The challan was presented in the court in the absence of the actor. Since the address in the summons was in Delhi, he was not informed about appearing in the court. Actually, the actor is living in Mumbai. On the other hand, Shruti Hassan was acquitted in the case after the court found her innocent. Ajay K Pannalal’s (Director of the film) petition has been filed in the court,” said advocate Darshan.

About ‘Behen Hogi Teri’

Behen Hogi Teri is a romantic comedy starring Rajkummar Rao and Shruti Haasan, directed by Ajay K Pannalal. Behen Hogi Teri did not do well at the box office, earning only about Rs 3.06 crore worldwide. The film garnered largely negative reviews, with critics praising Rajkummar Rao’s performance as the sole highlight while criticising the weak storyline and poor writing. Meanwhile, on the work front, Rao was recently seen in the film Maalik.