Art imitates life: filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra’s new film, Maharaj is based on the Maharaj libel case of 1862. An adaptation of Saurabh Shah’s 2013 book of the same name, the Netflix film shows how social reformer and journalist Karsandas Mulji had exposed the sexually exploitative practices of self-proclaimed godman Jadunath Mahjaraj. The ensuing legal battle sparked a sensational trial at the Bombay High Court. Mulji was accused of being defamatory by Jadunath and the Pushtimarg sect. Eventually, however, the British judgement went in Mulji’s favour, who was lauded for advocating freedom of expression.
Life too imitates art. Like his protagonist, Malhotra also faced his own share of struggles to let his film see the light of the day. The wait was long, and not easy. It took three arduous years full of controversies and trepidation after members of the Vaishnavite Pustimargi sect alleged that the film misrepresented its beliefs leading the Gujarat High Court to temporarily halt its release. “We had been cautious while scripting it, and nowhere was our intention to offend anyone. We have been through enough heartbreak and heartburn, but it is overwhelming to see the response that has come our way,” says Malhotra, who finally heaved a sigh of relief when the HC gave him the go-ahead, noting that Maharaj was neither objectionable nor did it misreport facts.
In a country where there is no dearth of self-styled god men or the controversies surrounding them, making a film like Maharaj is like sailing close to the wind. Malhotra’s last directorial was the 2018 comedy-drama Hichki, an adaptation of motivational speaker Brad Cohen’s autobiography Front of the Class; Rani Mukerji played a teacher with Tourette syndrome. But, making Maharaj, for which he collaborated with Yash Raj Films, was a David and Goliath-like situation for Malhotra.
“It was never about a religion, community or sect for me. I was intrigued by the story of a man who, in 1862, stood up for women’s rights. We have only recently started lending our voice to the #MeToo movement, but Mulji was doing this 150 years ago. For me, it is a story about Karsandas Mulji’s journey and not the Maharaj Libel case,” he says adding, “The film is a tribute to this one man’s conviction, integrity and belief in his ideologies. I just felt that assumptions were made about the film’s narrative by many before they even watched the film, and that hurt me.”
Maharaj marks the debut of Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan, who plays Mulji. The film sees Jaideep Ahlawat as Jadunath Maharaj. Malhotra says both actors were his first choice for the respective roles. “We spent over a year-and-a-half on scripting. In Junaid, we found the honesty and reliability required to play Karsandas. With Jaideep, it was a no-brainer. I feel after Irrfan, who I think was the greatest actor in this country, there is Jaideep. He brings in a plethora of emotions, and he is extremely versatile. To play a complex character such as Jadunath Maharaj, without making him look villainous, loud or garish could have only been done by Jaideep.”
Recently, rapper MC Benn, who had worked with Siddharth in Hichki, created a rap anthem highlighting the values embodied by Karsandas. It received overwhelming support from listeners. For Malhotra, the success of Maharaj is, in many ways, his own story of courage and conviction.
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