Mumbai: The creators of the Sunny Deol-led film Jaat have issued a formal statement following a recent controversy regarding a scene that drew objections from members of the Christian community.

Responding to the criticism over religious sensitivity, the filmmakers confirmed that the disputed scene has been removed. They also reiterated their respect for all religious beliefs and communities. The statement, issued on Friday, acknowledged the concerns raised by members of the Christian community regarding a specific scene that was perceived to be hurtful to religious sentiments.

In a swift reaction to the feedback, the filmmakers stated that there was never any intention to disrespect any faith or belief system. The official statement read, “To Whomsoever It May Concern, There has been a backlash for a specific scene in the film. The scene has been removed from the film with immediate effect. Our intention was not to hurt any religious sentiments. We deeply regret it and have taken a quick action of deleting the scene from the film. We sincerely apologize to everyone whose beliefs have been hurt.”

The statement comes shortly after a case was registered against actors Sunny Deol, Randeep Hooda, Vineet Kumar Singh, and director Gopichand Malineni for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with a scene involving Lord Jesus Christ in their latest film, ‘Jaat.’ 

The case was filed at the Sadar Police Station in Jalandhar under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly offending religious sentiments. The complaint was lodged by Vikalp Gold, a resident of Pholriwal village in Jalandhar.

The police complaint alleged that the accused offended the religious sentiments of the Christian community by replicating a crucifixion scene involving Lord Jesus Christ in the film.

Earlier, in an official statement, ADCP Headquarters officer Sukhwinder Singh confirmed that the complaint was lodged by Golgotha Gold, a resident of Pholriwal village in Jalandhar and a member of the Christian community. The complainant raised objections to specific scenes in the film, claiming they were offensive to the religious beliefs of the community. Based on preliminary investigation, an FIR was registered against five individuals associated with the film.

The scene that sparked the controversy showed Randeep Hooda’s character standing beneath a crucifix inside a church, positioned directly above the holy pulpit, while worshippers were engaged in prayer—an image that drew strong criticism and allegations of religious insensitivity.

Starring Sunny Deol in the titular role, 'Jaat' was released in theatres on April 10, 2025.

IANS