Following its release, Bollywood film Jaat has landed its lead actors—Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda, and Vineet Kumar—in legal trouble.
According to reports from Indian media, a case has been filed against the film’s director Gopichand Malineni, its producers, and other cast members after an allegedly offensive scene in the film targeted the religious sentiments of the Christian community.
The police in Jalandhar have charged the filmmakers under sections related to deliberate acts intended to provoke religious sentiments and acts of malice.
The controversy surrounds a scene in the film, which was released on April 10, where actor Randeep Hooda’s character is shown standing beneath a holy cross in a church while worshippers are engaged in prayer.
The scene also includes elements of intimidation, threats, and disrespect, which have been viewed as deeply offensive by many in the Christian community. The filmmakers have been accused of releasing the film during Good Friday and Easter with the intent to provoke anger from the Christian community and potentially cause unrest across the country.
The complaint filed against the filmmakers claims that the scene in question intentionally insults Christian symbols and religious practices. Additionally, the timing of the film’s release—coinciding with the Christian holiday season—is being questioned for possibly inciting riots and disturbing public peace.
The filmmakers and actors are now under investigation for their roles in this controversy, which has ignited debates on freedom of expression in the Indian film industry.
Jaat, starring Sunny Deol and featuring Randeep Hooda as the antagonist, also includes Vineet Kumar Singh, Sayami Kher, Regina Cassandra, Prashant Bajaj, Zarina Wahab, and Jagapathi Babu in prominent roles.
Released in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, the film has seen significant box office success, earning over ₹32 crore in its opening week. However, the legal issues and the ongoing debate over the portrayal of religious symbols in cinema have overshadowed the film’s commercial success.
