Boycotting of films has become commonplace. While the reasons for outrage may vary, there’s often a fear that looms over filmmakers and actors alike, before the release of a big banner movie, given the grave consequences a simple concept might have on the minds of audiences, religious and political groups. Although one can never really decide the fate of a film beforehand, it’s always a tragedy to see films on the receiving end of major (and often needless) flak. Here’s a list of top movies that sparked public outrage and ran the risk of being boycotted…

Laal Singh Chaddha  

Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s Laal Singh Chaddha is all set to hit the theatre on August 11, 2022. But in the past few days, the movie has been in the eye of the storm, receiving oodles of negativity and hate. Reason? Aamir Khan once, at an event in 2015, opined how he was alarmed by the crime rate in India, so much so, that his ex-wife Kiran Rao apparently suggested that they relocate to another country.  

Chhappaak  

Deepika Padukone starrer Chhaappak was released on January 10, 2020. It was based on the life of the acid attack survivor Laxmi. Ahead of her movie’s release, she went to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to support the students who underwent police brutalities due to the then ongoing CAA-NRC protests. People slammed the move and accused her of doing a publicity stunt for the sake of her movie. 

Padmaavat  

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2018’s Padmaavat underwent so much public scrutiny that it had to release under a different name. The issue was that the film depicted a Muslim ruler getting intimate with a Hindu princess. After which, the Karni Sena vandalized public properties and sets of the movie. A BJP leader even announced a hefty reward for the person who would bedhead Bhansali, Padukone, and Ranveer Singh.  

Dangal 

For the same alleged anti-national statements given by Khan and Rao, the 2016 movie was massively trolled. Effigies were made of the couple and burnt on squares of a few cities in the country. The incidents occurred exactly in the same week as the movie’s release.

Lipstick Under My Burkha 

In a 2016 movie filmmaker, Alankrita Srivastava showed women in a different light. But this didn’t go well with religious groups and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The film was then released with an Adult rating. People alleged that the film hurt their religious sentiments, and had abusive words and audio pornography.  

PK  

When the first poster of Rajkumar Hirani’s PK was released in 2014, the moral police was triggered beyond measure. The poster saw a naked Khan holding a radio that covered his essentials. After the release, when people saw its religious theme, the boycott went to phase 2. This time around, the Hindu leaders were protesting on the grounds that the makers were reportedly denigrating Hindu culture through the movie.  

My Name is Khan 

The massive outrage that broke after 2010’s My Name is Khan release was due to a statement given by Shah Rukh Khan. As a holder of high stakes in the Indian Premier League, SRK expressed his disappointment about Pakistani players not being a part of the match that year. Hindu leaders were clearly not pleased with his advocacy and thus called for a boycott.  

Lead Image: Aamir Khan Productions