Nawazuddin out of Ramlila after protests

Under pressure from some saffron leaders, Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui was forced out of a Ramlila at his home town in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district. 

According to police sources, Nawazuddin was to play the role of Maricha (the demon who assumed the form of a golden deer and helped Ravana kidnap Sita) at the Ramlila organised at the Chandni Wala mandir in Budhana. But he had to bow out following objections from some local saffron leaders, who said that it could fuel tension in the communally sensitive town. “We will not allow any Muslim to act in the Ramlila,” said a Shiv Sena leader from Budhana.

Police sources said the office-bearers of the Ramlila committee had met Nawazuddin at his residence on Wednesday night and apprised him about the opposition from some quarters. Later, the actor withdrew from the programme.