Fatwa issued against Jimmy Sheirgill, 'Shorgul' producers for hurting religious sentiments

Fatwa issued against Jimmy Sheirgill and makers of his upcoming film for allegedly hurting religious sentiments

Looks like there’s more trouble in store for Jimmy Sheirgill-starrer Shorgul, which has raised the hackles of the political fraternity in Uttar Pradesh and recently, invited a ban in a few cities — the film touches upon the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. The Khamman Peer Baba Committee in Lucknow has issued a fatwa against the actor and producers for hurting their sentiments.

Jimmy Sheirgill in the film

Sources close to the film claim after Muzaffarnagar, Kandhla, Meerut and a few other places, the film is facing a ban in prime cities like Lucknow and Kanpur. The makers are now said to have approached UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to facilitate Shorgul’s release.

Earlier this month, a PIL had been filed requesting a stay on the film’s release, alleging that it spreads communal disharmony and maligns political figures — Jimmy’s character, Ranjit Om, is said to be modelled after MLA Sangeet Som, an accused in the riots. Now, the Lucknow-based committee has taken offence to certain scenes and dialogues in the film which they feel might ignite hatred and, eventually, violence, in the state.

The fatwa mentions, “We will not allow the film to be screened in Uttar Pradesh or let Jimmy Sheirgill shoot in the state ever again.”

Jimmy, who is currently in Canada with his family, could not be reached for a comment. Swatantra Vijay Singh, the film’s co-producer, confirms the story and says, “Yes we have received the fatwa, but our film is a cinematic recreation of various tragic incidents that transpired in the past. Our film will decode the humanity-intolerance equation in the most non-controversial manner.”

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