MUMBAI: A distributor here has claimed receiving threat letters from Shiv Sena’s Chhattisgarh wing over the release of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s forthcoming action crime thriller film “Raees”, which also features Pakistani actress Mahira Khan.
Directed by Rahul Dholakia, “Raees” is slated to release on January 25.
Mumbai-based distributor Akshaye Rathi tagged Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray’s son and Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Twitter, and posted a snapshot of the letter, which has been written in Devanagari.
In a series of Twitter posts, Rathi wrote: “Dear Aditya Thackeray, we have received this threat letter from your Chhattisgarh unit against playing Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Raees’. Do you endorse it?
Dear @AUThackeray,
We have received this threat letter from your Chhattisgarh unit against playing @iamsrk's #Raees. Do you endorse it? pic.twitter.com/RHai71yGZV— Akkshay Rathie / अक्षय राठी 🇮🇳 (@akshayerathi) January 10, 2017
“Dear Raman Singh and Abhishek Singh, please look into this to let law and order prevail in Chhattisgarh. ‘Raees’.”
Dear @drramansingh ji & @CGAbhishekSingh,
Please look into this to let law & order prevail in #Chhattisgarh. #Raees @ChhattisgarhCMO pic.twitter.com/wFLG93YNkG— Akkshay Rathie / अक्षय राठी 🇮🇳 (@akshayerathi) January 10, 2017
The distributor even urged Shah Rukh’s fans to help him bring the issue to light.
“Request all Shah Rukh Khan fans to help me bring this to the notice of Aditya Thackeray. I’m sure he will take action against this nuisance. ‘Raees’,” he wrote.
The letter, which is not addressed to any specific person, warns distributors to oppose the film’s release.
When IANS contacted Delhi-based distributor Joginder Mahajan, he said none of the northern region distributors had received such a letter so far.
“If a film has been cleared for release, then nobody can stop it. ‘Raees’ will release on January 25. Nobody in our region has received any kind of threat from anyone,” Mahajan told IANS.