Jalandhar, April 18, 2025 – A controversial church scene in the Bollywood action flick Jaat, released April 10, has landed stars Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda, Vineet Kumar Singh, director Gopichand Malineni, and producer Naveen Yerneni in hot water, with an FIR filed in Jalandhar, Punjab, for allegedly hurting Christian sentiments. Lodged Wednesday under BNS Section 299 for “deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings,” the complaint by Vikalv Gold, a local Christian leader, claims a scene mocks Jesus Christ, fueling protests and demands for a nationwide ban (NDTV).
The offending scene shows Hooda’s villain, Ranatunga, standing under a crucifix above a church pulpit, arms outstretched, intimidating praying villagers—a visual some say mimics Christ’s crucifixion (Hindustan Times). Gold slammed the timing, released near Good Friday, as a “calculated move to spark riots” (The Hindu). Christian groups rallied outside Jalandhar’s Police Commissioner’s office, submitting a ban memorandum, though police halted theater protests (Livemint). X erupts—“Ban Jaat now!” chants clash with “Censor board’s fault!” (post:2).
Jaat, a Rs 100 crore pan-India hit, stars Deol as a Jaat army officer clashing with Hooda’s Sri Lankan gangster in a fictional Andhra village (Times of India). It raked in Rs 61.5 crore in eight days, with a sequel, Jaat 2, announced Thursday (India Today). The film’s mass appeal—punchy dialogues, Thaman’s score, and Deol’s “dhai kilo ka haath”—thrills fans, but critics call its plot “formulaic” (123telugu.com). Punjab’s 2% Christian population—1.5 lakh strong—feels betrayed, citing 2024’s 12 religious rows (NCRB).
No response yet from Deol or Hooda, but Mythri Movie Makers face pressure—2024 saw 15 film bans in India (CBFC). “Art shouldn’t mock faith,” a Jalandhar priest told The Economic Times. BJP’s silence contrasts MNS’s food row in Mumbai, hinting at political caution (Business Standard). For India’s 2.8 crore Christians and 140 crore viewers, it’s a flashpoint—free speech or respect? Will Jaat’s makers cut the scene, or fight the FIR?
