Ahmedabad: Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, two right-wing outfits, caused a disturbance at a mall on Wednesday (January 4) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in protest of the forthcoming release of the film 'Pathaan', which stars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.


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On Wednesday, activists from the VHP and Bajrang Dal gathered at the Vastrapur mall to protest the film's release, tearing down posters and other promotional materials for the movie. Videos of the incident have been shared on social media, where the protesters can be heard shouting slogans such as "Neem ka patta kadwa hai Shah Rukh Khan ***** hai" and "Jai Shree Ram" while tearing down the posters.


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"We will not allow the screening of this film in Gujarat. The protest against the film's release in Ahmedabad today should serve as a wake-up call to all theatre owners in the state. They must refrain from releasing the film in their theatres or multiplexes," said Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput as quoted by Times Now.


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The protestors also vandalized other promotional materials for the film. As per PTI, Inspector J K Dangar reported that police were called to the scene and detained five activists, who were later released.


"We strongly condemn the actions of these right-wing groups and their attempts to censor artistic expression," said a spokesperson for the film's production company. "We stand by our filmmakers and actors and their right to tell stories that may challenge the status quo or spark necessary conversations."