Kedarnath: Priests demand ban on Sushant Singh Rajput's film, claim it promotes 'love jihad'

Abhishek Kapoor's latest film 'Kedarnath'has embroiled itself in yet another controversy. The film, which is based on the devastating Uttarakhand floods in 2013, features Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan in the lead. While Sara plays a Hindu girl, Sushant plays a Muslim boy who is a porter at the Kedarnath shrine. 

According to the news reports, priests at Kedarnath shrine have raised an objection on the film as they feel it promotes 'love jihad' and hurts Hindu sentiments. 

The term 'love jihad' is used for couples where the girl is Hindu and married to a Muslim boy.
 
“We will launch an agitation if the movie is not banned as we have been told that it hurts the Hindu religious sentiments by promoting ‘love jihad’,” said Vinod Shukla to a daily. Shukla is the chairman of Kedar Sabha, an organisation of the priests based in Kedarnath.

Shukla said the priests had strongly protested against the film when its “vulgar dance sequences” were being shot around Kedarnath shrine. The locals too have started protesting against its release.

Protests demanding a ban on the film have already taken placed in Kotdwar and Rudraprayag- towns in Uttarakhand- demanding a ban on the film. 

Objection has been raised on the bold scenes that have been shown in the teaser and also on over the poster which has Sushant carrying Sara in a palanquin with the Kedarnath shrine in the background. Locals have claimed that Muslim do not ferry pilgrims on the trekking route to the Kedarnath shrine. 

The producers- Abhishek Kapoor and RSVP films- is yet to comment on the matter. 

'Kedarnath' will be releasing in theatres on 7th December.