A movie distributor in Mumbai claims right-wing Shiv Sena’s Chhattisgarh wing has been sending threatening letters over the release of actor Shah Rukh Khan’s forthcoming action crime thriller, Raees, which also features Pakistani actress Mahira Khan.
Directed by Rahul Dholakia, Raees is slated to release on January 25 in India, Jaunary 26 in the UAE.
Mumbai-based distributor Akshaye Rathi tagged Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray’s son and Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Twitter, and posted a snapshot of the letter, which has been written in Devanagari.
In a series of Twitter posts, Rathi wrote: “Dear Aditya Thackeray, we have received this threat letter from your Chhattisgarh unit against playing Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees. Do you endorse it?
“Dear Raman Singh and Abhishek Singh, please look into this to let law and order prevail in Chhattisgarh. Raees.”
The distributor even urged Khan’s fans to help him bring the issue to light.
“Request all Shah Rukh Khan fans to help me bring this to the notice of Aditya Thackeray. I’m sure he will take action against this nuisance. Raees,” he wrote.
The letter, which is not addressed to any specific person, warns distributors to oppose the film’s release.
Delhi-based distributor Joginder Mahajan said none of the northern region distributors had received such a letter.
“If a film has been cleared for release, then nobody can stop it. Raees will release on January 25. Nobody in our region has received any kind of threat from anyone,” Mahajan said.
