Junaid Khan says he was confident ‘Maharaj’ would be released despite legal hurdles

Bollywood’s perfectionist Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan, opened up recently about the legal hurdles faced by his debut film Maharaj during a session titled "Kahaniyon Se Cinema Tak" at Sahitya AajTak 2024.

For the unversed, the film faced a major setback when the Gujarat HC imposed a stay order following claims by a Hindu group that it hurt religious sentiments. Despite the challenges, Junaid expressed confidence in the film’s eventual release.


“When the Gujarat High Court stay order came, we were very worried. But I knew that Siddharth Sir [director Siddharth P Malhotra] had made the film with utmost care and respect. I was confident it would release one day,” Junaid shared.

Director Siddharth P Malhotra revealed that the film’s journey was along with difficulties. Based on a book that had been publicly available for 13 years, Maharaj also had a play adaptation without any controversy. "The Supreme Court ruling on this story is accessible and even taught in six universities. Yet, the film faced backlash when a poster was released," he said.

Siddharth P Malhotra also shared the emotional ordeal of tracking the court case live. The film was initially scheduled for an OTT release on June 14 but was delayed until June 21 due to a legal dispute. Expressing gratitude, he remarked, “I thank the Gujarat High Court for watching the film and affirming it wasn’t against any religion. I also thank the OTT platform for supporting the release and promoting it post-launch.”




'Maharaj' released in 21 June and was directed by Siddharth P Malhotra.