BJP MLA who asked scene to be removed from movie Zero accepts clarification

After asking ‘Zero’ movie director Aanand L Rai and actor Shah Rukh Khan to remove an “objectionable” scene from the movie and urging police to file a complaint against them for “hurting” sentiments of Sikhs, BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa has accepted the clarification offered by the film’s makers.

Applauding the maker’s quick response, Sirsa tweeted: “It’s good you have clarified this in time. We accept your point. Anything that hurts religious sentiments should be clarified with clear communication.”

The controversy started due to a scene in a trailer in which Shah Rukh seems to be wearing Sikh religious symbol Gatka Kirpan in the underwear. Sirsa, a Delhi MLA, demanded that it must be immediately deleted.

The film’s PR team wrote to him saying no visual or image in the film depicted the Kirpan.

“The images show a dagger popularly known as ‘katar’ in the Indian-subcontinent and is nowhere close to a Kirpan that carries the distinguished blessing of being Khalsa. The team ‘Zero’ clarifies that they have been careful not to hurt the feelings of community and any concerned caused is completely inadvertent,” it said.

Featuring Shah Rukh, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif in pivotal roles, “Zero” is slated to release on December 21.