Actors Janhvi Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra’s upcoming film Param Sundari has come under fire from a Christian group over a scene set inside a church, where the characters are shown flirting. The group has demanded that the sequence be removed from the film, its trailer, and all promotional material.
According to Midday, the Watchdog Foundation has written formal complaints to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the Mumbai Police, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, and the Maharashtra government. Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, representing the group, argued that the portrayal disrespects a place of worship.
“The church is a sacred place for Christians, and it should not be depicted as a stage for indecent content. This portrayal not only disrespects the sanctity of the religious place but also deeply offends the sensibilities of the Catholic community,” the letter stated.
The group questioned how the CBFC cleared the scene and warned that public protests would follow if it remains in the film. They have also demanded an FIR against the producer, director, and lead actors for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
Param Sundari, directed by Tushar Jalota, tells the story of a cross-cultural romance between a man from Delhi and a woman from Kerala. Alongside Janhvi and Sidharth, the film stars Rajeev Khandelwal and Aakash Dahiya. It is scheduled for release on August 29.