Producers Ravi Shankar and Naveen Yerneni of Mythri Movie Makers recently secured partial relief from the Nampally Criminal Court in the ongoing Pushpa 2 stampede case. The incident, which occurred during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4, involved chaos sparked by Allu Arjun’s visit to the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad. The stampede led to the tragic death of a woman and critically injured her young son. Allu Arjun was granted bail, and the producers were instructed not to be arrested as the case continues.
Jai Hanuman Faces Controversy Over Hanuman’s Depiction
While Mythri Movie Makers navigates the Pushpa 2 case, they are also embroiled in another legal battle concerning their upcoming film Jai Hanuman. High court advocate Mamidal Thirumal Rao has filed a case against the film’s makers, including director Prasanth Varma and lead actor Rishab Shetty, for allegedly depicting Lord Hanuman offensively.
In a press meet, Thirumal Rao argued that the teaser for Jai Hanuman, released on October 30, portrayed Lord Hanuman with a ‘human face,’ focusing more on actor Rishab Shetty’s celebrity status than the deity’s traditional avatar. “The teaser shows Rishab Shetty as a muscular king with a human face, which I believe is offensive to Lord Hanuman’s depiction,” Rao stated. He claimed the representation could mislead younger generations and set a harmful precedent for portraying gods in Indian cinema.
Also Read: Is Prabhas’ Wedding On The Cards? Find Out About The Rumored Bride, Marriage Plans And More!
Rao further expressed concern that filmmakers might take similar liberties with other gods like Ganesh or Varaha Swami in the future. “If such portrayals are allowed, future generations may lose touch with traditional depictions of gods,” he said. Rao emphasized his efforts to gather evidence by studying depictions of Hanuman across various cultures to strengthen his argument in court.
About Jai Hanuman
Jai Hanuman is the sequel to the hit 2024 film HanuMan, which showcased the journey of an underdog gaining superpowers from Lord Hanuman. The sequel features Rishab Shetty, Teja Sajja, and Rana Daggubati in prominent roles.
As both cases unfold, Mythri Movie Makers find themselves navigating significant legal challenges that could impact their projects and the broader conversation about creative liberties in Indian cinema.
