NEW DELHI: Bollywood blockbuster ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ faces legal trouble over alleged distortion of Hindu scriptures and disrespectful portrayal of Lord Kalki, igniting a religious storm.
The blockbuster film, Kalki 2898 AD, has found itself in the eye of a legal storm. Pramod Krishnam, a former Congress leader and head of Kalki Dham, has levelled serious accusations against the filmmakers, claiming they have distorted Hindu religious texts and insulted Hindu deities. Krishnam, who was expelled from the Congress earlier this year, has issued a legal notice to the film’s creators and actors.
Directed by Nag Ashwin, the film is a futuristic epic inspired by Hindu scriptures. Despite being the top-grossing film of the first half of 2024, it has drawn intense criticism for its portrayal of Lord Kalki.
Kalki Dham, located in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, holds immense religious significance as the prophesied birthplace of Lord Kalki. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a temple there earlier this year.
On July 20, Krishnam’s legal team served a notice on the filmmakers, alleging that the film’s depiction of Lord Kalki deviates drastically from the descriptions in Hindu scriptures. The notice contends that these inaccuracies and disrespectful portrayals have the potential to deeply offend millions of Hindus.
“Your movie has completely altered the essence of Lord Kalki, as it’s been described in our sacred texts,” the notice states. It warns that such misrepresentations could lead to confusion, misinterpretation, and a subsequent erosion of the Hindu faith.
The notice further emphasizes the potential for causing distress among devotees. “By presenting these falsehoods, the filmmakers have not only violated intellectual and cultural integrity but have also committed a criminal offence under Sections 299 and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,” it claims.
Krishnam has been vocal about his opposition to the distortion of Hindu texts. He underscored the importance of Lord Kalki in Hindu beliefs and drew attention to the upcoming Shri Kalki Dham temple. “The world eagerly awaits the arrival of Lord Kalki. This film, however, is sending a completely wrong message,” he asserted.
The legal notice accuses the filmmakers of ulterior motives, claiming they borrowed scenes from the Mahabharata to mask their inaccurate portrayal of Lord Kalki, including a controversial depiction of his birth through artificial insemination.
Despite the controversy, Kalki 2898 AD continues to be a box office success. Many viewers seem to be enjoying the film as a work of fiction and art, rather than a religious text.