Ranbir, Alia stopped from entering temple over decade-old beef comments

Bollywood continues to struggle with the ongoing boycott culture and the latest victim to fall to the aforementioned trend is Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt's latest offering, the much-awaited Brahmastra: Part 1. The cast and director of the film, Ayan Mukerji, have been busy promoting the upcoming release, but not without their share of hurdles. 

Recently, Hindustan Times reported that the Bollywood star couple was stopped from entering a temple after a protest erupted around the premises. Ayan then went into the temple alone, seeking blessings. 

According to the report, on Tuesday, Ranbir, Alia and Ayan had left Mumbai together to offer prayers at Mahakaleshwar Temple. "The trio was welcomed by political activists in Ujjain, who did not let the actors attend the aarti (prayer) in the temple. Only Ayan could make it inside the temple and could be seen taking blessings as the protestors reportedly started fighting with police personnel to prevent Alia and Ranbir’s entry inside the temple," the publication shared. 

The furore

In 2011, Ranbir while promoting his film Rockstar, had said he loved eating beef. “My family is from Peshawar, so a lot of Peshawari food has come with them. I am a mutton, paya and beef fan. Yeah, I am a big beef fan," he had said. The old video has resurfaced ahead of the release of Brahmastra.

On the other hand, Ujjain CSP Om Prakash Mishra said the protesters started fighting with police officers. "We were making arrangements as some VIPs were about to visit Mahakaleshwar temple. During which some people started gathering here to protest against them. One of the protestors started fighting with police officers," he said to news agency ANI.

Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday called on the film industry to speak up against the politics of hate and fear after Bajrang Dal members prevented a Bollywood couple from entering the famous Mahakal temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain. Sharing an old photograph of some of the leading Bollywood actors and directors with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rajya Sabha member said the “photo op” will not help if they continue to be “mute spectators to hate.”

Chaturvedi stressed the need for a collective pushback against the selective protests before every movie release otherwise we are “fast heading into an abyss of hate, fear and silence.”

“None of this photo op will help if you’ll continue to be mute spectators to hate and believe it's not your business to talk politics. They will come after you anyway. Mahakaleshwar temple protests in Ujjain is a case in point. Shame that political prejudice is leading to such ugliness,” she tweeted.

“This selective protest before every movie release has become an industry and a lobby, if not collectively pushed back we are fast heading into an abyss of hate, fear and silence. The entertainment industry is an employment generator, lakhs depend on it. Speak up.”

About Brahmastra

Ayan's directorial, Brahmastra is a first-of-its-kind, three-part series and the beginning of India’s first-ever universe, the Astraverse. What seems like a twist on the MCU series is the story of Shiva, a young man and the protagonist where mystical sages and mythology replace superheroes.

Ranbir plays the part of Shiva, a DJ. He is an orphaned young man from Mumbai who has a unique connection to fire and doesn't get harmed by the flames. Further in the trailer, it is revealed that Ranbir is an Astra himself - the Agni Astra.

Bachchan is Shiva’s mentor and a member of a secret society of sages. They have been the protectors of the astras and the lord of all astras (astraon ka devta), the Brahmastra. He is called the Guru and is the one who helps Shiva manage and control his power.

Mouni Roy plays the main antagonist in the trailer who leads an army that is trying to get to the Brahmastra and destroy him. However, there seems to be more to her plan which is not revealed in the trailer. Perhaps she is part of something larger, however, the trailer also hints at a much larger, evil force that Shiva will have to defeat.

Alia plays the role of Isha Shakti. She is Shiva’s main love interest. She stays by his side throughout the trailer and it is through their encounter that we come to learn about Shiva’s strange but special powers

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