We are no strangers to witnessing serious objections against Bollywood movies and some of them legal controversies even before their release. Protests, bans and disclaimers have kind of become a common thing.
Sometimes actors roped in for lead roles also get caught up in these controversies. They are either criticized for portraying an already controversial public figure or for playing a certain character on screen.
So here are the actors who have landed in hot waters because of their roles in some controversial films:
1. Kangana Ranaut in Thalaivi
The creators of the biopic based on the life of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa have received a note by the High Court of Madras. Deepa Jayakumar, who claimed she was the legal heiress of the late supremo AIADMK, sought to prevent the film’s release. She claimed that the creators might feature their “own version” of the Jayalalithaa played by Kangana Ranaut and that it might affect the politician’s privacy.
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2. Janhvi Kapoor in Gunjan Saxena
The biopic based on the life of Gunjan Saxena, one of the first female Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots to fly in a combat zone, has sparked controversy for misrepresenting events. The retired officer was billed as the IAF’s first female helicopter pilot and the only female pilot of her time.
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3. Shahid Kapoor in Kabir Singh
The Telugu Movie Remake Arjun Reddy, has been labeled “misogynist” and “regressive” and garnered many negative reviews. Viewers have claimed that the protagonist played by Shahid Kapoor endorses toxic masculinity.
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4. Kartik Aryan in Pati, Patni Aur Woh
The Kartik Aaryan star caught attention on social media when the trailer showed the sequence which involved a monologue shedding light on marital rape. However, following the backlash, the film’s creators edited out the monologue the actor delivered.
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5. Anupam Kher in The Accidental Prime Minister
The film is based on the eponymous book by Singh’s media adviser, Sanjaya Baru, and Anupam Kher tries out the role of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. After the release of the trailer, Maharashtra State Youth Congress required shortlist and raised an objection citing an “incorrect presentation of facts” regarding Manmohan Singh and the Congress party.
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6. Deepika Padukone in Padmaavat
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus has been embroiled in a long series of controversies after Karni Sena called for the film to be banned for allegedly twisting history and portraying Rajputs in a bad light. Deepika Padukone, who played the role of Rani Padmavati in the film, received death threats for her role. In fact, manufacturers had to make significant cosmetic changes to the Ghoomar song and Deepika Padukone’s belly was covered.
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7. Plabita Borthakur in Lipstick under my burka
A group of Muslim leaders in Bhopal tabled a resolution calling for a boycott of Lipstick under my burka, and alleged that it hurts the religious feelings of the community. Plabita Borthakur tries out the role of a burka-clad student in the film. Reportedly, they claimed that the film made fun of Islamic culture and spoke about a woman’s choice to wear the burka in a negative way.
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8. Vidya Balan in The dirty picture
by Vidya Balan The dirty picture, which was inspired by the life of actor Silk Smitha, was embroiled in controversy even before its release. In fact, a city court ordered police to book the actress for posing for indecent photos.
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9. Aamir Khan in package
Aamir Khan starring package, in which the actor plays an alien, has been criticized for “defaming Hinduism”. The actor is seen questioning superstitions, religious beliefs, and gods in the film, which is said to have hurt the religious feelings of the viewers.
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10. Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Jodhaa Akbar
The Karni Sena, a Rajput community organization, claimed that the Jodhaa Akbar presents distorted facts. They went on to allege that Jodha Bai, played by Aishwarya Rai, was the daughter of Motaraja Udai Singh of Marwar and was married to Akbar’s (tried by Hrithik Roshan) son Salim aka Jehangir.
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11. Amitabh Bachchan in Nishabd
The Amitabh Bachchan star showcased the sexual chemistry between a middle-aged man and an underage girl. The former romancer a much younger girl in Nishabd evoked public contempt for allegedly portraying a scenario contrary to “Indian values”.
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12. Seema Biswas in bandit queen
The critically acclaimed film is based on the real-life incidents of a bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi. When Phoolan Devi questioned the authenticity of the project and the events of his life shown in the film, the Delhi High Court temporarily banned him.
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Bollywood movies and controversies go hand in hand. And this trend shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
