Protests against screening of Marathi movie 'Har Har Mahadev' in Nashik city

Activists of Swarajya Sanghatana on Tuesday disrupted the screening of the Marathi movie Har Har Mahadev at a multiplex here in Maharashtra claiming "distortion of facts" by its makers.

An agitation was also held against the movie at another multiplex in the city by the Nationalist Youth Congress (NYC). Swarajya Sanghatana (SS) was founded by Sambhaji Chhatrapati, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who had expressed his displeasure over Har Har Mahadev and 'Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Saat' (an upcoming movie project), saying he would oppose upcoming movies based on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj if they distort facts.

Activists of Sanghatana reached the multiplex located on the Nashik-Pune highway and forced the management to stop the screening of the movie. They shouted slogans and warned the multiplex management to face consequences if the movie is screened again, a local leader said.

“The movie Har Har Mahadev has distorted many facts. Swarajya Sanghatana chief Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje has taken serious cognizance. Such movies will not be tolerated in the state in future. If these tendencies will not be curbed in time, the future generations will permanently forget the real history of Marathas,” Swarajya Sanghatana state convener Ganesh Kadam said on the occasion.

At another protest, a local NYC leader said the movie should not be allowed to be screened as it depicted the "wrong" history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who is the idol of Maharashtra.