Sunny Deol and Randeep Hooda have landed in legal trouble over their recent film Jaat, after a scene in the movie triggered widespread backlash from the Christian community. An FIR has been filed against the actors, along with the film’s director Gopichand Malineni and producer Naveen Malineni, at the Sadar Police Station in Jalandhar, Punjab.
The complaint, led by Christian community leader Viklaav Goldie, alleges that a particular scene in the film disrespects Jesus Christ and sacred Christian symbols. In this controversial sequence, Randeep Hooda, who plays the character Ranatunga is shown standing in a crucifix-like pose with a weapon in hand, followed by a graphic depiction of violence. The community claims the scene was deliberately designed to provoke and insult religious sentiments.
The FIR has been registered under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code, which addresses deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs.
Amid the growing outrage and protests in Punjab, the makers of Jaat issued a public apology and confirmed that the contentious scene has been removed from the film. In an official statement, they said:
“To whomsoever it may concern, there has been a backlash for a specific scene in the film. The scene has been removed from the film with immediate effect. Our intention was never to hurt any religious sentiments. We deeply regret it and sincerely apologize to everyone whose beliefs were hurt.”
Despite its high-profile cast and a budget of ₹100 crore, Jaat has underperformed at the box office, collecting ₹76 crore worldwide in its first eight days. While the film had generated significant buzz pre-release, its controversial content appears to have overshadowed its theatrical run.
The situation remains tense as protests continue and the matter now rests with the judiciary.