"Watch With Your Daughter": Madhya Pradesh Speaker To SRK On 'Pathaan' Row

After Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, the state's Assembly Speaker Girish Gautam has also opposed actor Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film, Pathaan. 

"Shah Rukh should watch this film with his daughter, upload a picture and tell the world that he is watching it with his daughter," he said, and added, "This should definitely not be allowed. Will you dish out whatever you feel like? I want to openly say -- make one such film on Prophet Muhammad and release it in the name of freedom of expression. There will be bloodshed across the world".

Mr Gautam said this ahead of a five-day winter session, to begin today, amid demands to ban "Pathaan" in theatres. The issue is likely to be discussed in the Assembly by the ruling BJP on the floor of the House.

Girish Gautam, without explicitly naming any community, also drew comparisons with "sanatanis" (Hindus).

"You must have seen, and I do not agree with it, something happened related to the Prophet in Canada and Mumbai was burning. We suffered Rs 100 crore in losses. Now, when there are protests against the hijab, they are saying it's Iran's issue and has nothing to do with us. When it happened in Canada and you wanted to set things on fire then it concerned you, and when women launched a jihad against the hijab in Iran saying they won't wear it, you repeatedly say on TV that it's Iran's issue and not ours. When you want to be destructive then wherever it happens in the world, you support it and when there's something constructive you say it's the rest of the world's issue and not ours. This won't work any more, because the sanatani people have become aware now. Aware sanatanis are, though, not violent like they are, and thus it feels like we are more tolerant," he said.

Senior congress leaders, including the leader of the opposition Dr Govind Singh, and former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri, have also opposed the film, saying it's "against our values".

"It's not about Pathan, but paridhan (clothes)," Suresh Pachouri said, adding that in Indian culture, any woman wearing such clothes, and publicly displaying that scene, will not be permissible by anyone, be it Hindus, Muslims, or followers of any other religion.

Last Wednesday, Narottam Mishra objected to a song in the film.

"The costumes in the song are objectionable. The song reflects a dirty mindset," he had said.

Narottam Mishra's statement came two days after the makers of 'Pathaan' released the song 'Besharam Rang', which features the film's woman lead Deepika Padukone opposite the protagonist, played by Shah Rukh Khan.

"I advise the makers of the film to fix the objectionable parts of the song. Earlier, Deepika Padukone had stood in support of the 'tukde tukde gang' at JNU. Her mentality was exposed. I believe the song's title 'Besharam Rang' is also objectionable. Also, the way the colours saffron and green have been used in the costumes is objectionable. Changes need to be made, failing which we will take a call on whether the film should be screened in Madhya Pradesh," Mr Mishra had said.