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Top Controversial Bollywood Movies That Made Headlines in 2023

© AFP 2023 SANJAY KANOJIAMoviegoers walk past a poster of the Bollywood movie 'Pathaan' outside a cinema hall in Prayagraj on January 25, 2023.
Moviegoers walk past a poster of the Bollywood movie 'Pathaan' outside a cinema hall in Prayagraj on January 25, 2023. - Sputnik India, 1920, 25.12.2023
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The year 2023 saw some controversial movies that caught the spotlight for their sensational subjects, storylines, songs, and dialogues, as well as bold performances that made headlines and stirred debate within the community.
From 'Pathaan' movie's 'Besharam Rang' song, to sensational storylines and subjects of 'Animal', 'Adipurush', 'The Kerala Story' and 'OMG2', several Bollywood movies of 2023 sparked social media uproar and left a lasting impression.
As the year 2023 comes to a close, let's take a look back at some of the most talked-about Bollywood films and what led to the controversy and triggered debate.

Row Over Saffron Bikini Scene in 'Pathaan'

The much-anticipated movie of 2023, 'Pathaan' which marked the comeback of Bollywood's King of Romance, Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), after a hiatus of four years, was mired in controversy over its song 'Besharam Rang' (shameless colour).
In the song's video, actress Deepika Padukone is seen dancing wearing a saffron bikini.
This angered Hindu saints and leaders who alleged that the bikini's choice of colour hurt religious sentiments as saffron is the sacred colour in Hinduism worn by holy men.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, Hindu seers from Ayodhya town in India's Uttar Pradesh state, and several others from the revered Hindu sect objected to 'Besharam Rang' song.
The protesters shouted slogans, tore down posters and cut-outs of the film's cast, and damaged property at the mall.
Despite the row, Pathaan grossed US$130 million worldwide, becoming the second highest-grossing Indian film of 2023.

Glorifying Violence, Toxic Masculinity in 'Animal'

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Animal' starring Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna and others garnered both praise as well as criticism.
The film faced flak for glorifying violence and toxic masculinity and for its misogynistic content.
"Animal will be the most polarized film of the year just because of the scenes. Some scenes will not go down well with some people. Don't dare to watch with family," a user posted on X.
The third highest-grosser film of 2023 after 'Jawan' and 'Pathaan', 'Animal' minted over US$110 million worldwide.

Wrong Depiction of Ramayana in 'Adipurush'

The contemporary retelling of the ancient Indian epic ‘Ramayan’ in 'Adipurush' movie was trashed by the netizens for its cringe-worthy dialogues, screenplay, visuals, performance, and narrating wrong 'Ramayan'.
The movie recounts the life of Hindu God Lord Rama who goes on to rescue his wife, Goddess Janaki (Sita), from the clutches of the demon King of Lanka, Ravana, with the help of an army of monkeys.
The maker of 'Adipurush’, Om Raut, and its actors, Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan, and Kriti Sanon, landed themselves in legal trouble after several politicians and religious group members filed legal complaints, accusing them of distorting the images of Hindu Gods.
The controversy intensified after two Nepali regions unveiled bans on all Indian movies, citing an issue over Adipurush dialogue where Goddess Janaki is referred to as the "daughter of India".
Legend has it that Goddess Janaki, Rama's wife, was born in Janakpur in present-day Nepal.
The controversial dialogue was later removed from the film as per the media reports.
'Adipurush', which was made on a budget of $63-88 million, bombed at the box office with a gross earning of $54 million.

Propagating Religious Disharmony in 'The Kerala Story'

Director Sudipto Sen's 'The Kerala Story' made quite a buzz as several people called it an Islamophobic propaganda film and others criticised it for destroying religious harmony.
The Kerala Story, based on a true story, revolves around a group of women from Kerala who are coerced into converting to Islam and joining the Islamic State.
The movie sparked nationwide debate around religious sensitivity.
With a worldwide gross of US$38 million, 'The Kerala Story' became the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023.

Over-the-top portrayal of God in 'OMG 2'

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who played the role of Lord Shiva's messenger in the movie 'OMG2' which revolves around sex education, drew severe criticism for allegedly disrespecting the diety and religious sentiments.
The priests of Mahakaleshwar Temple had sent a notice to the filmmakers, actors, and others regarding the film, terming it objectionable and asking them to get it changed.
The Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) advised 20 cuts in the film's screenplay and an (A) (Adults Only) certificate, as they deemed the film's subject matter, which deals with sex education in schools, along with God and religion, to be controversial.
The CBFC also suggested that Kumar's character in the film, which was initially supposed to be that of Lord Shiva, to be changed to that of a "Messenger of God".
The film grossed a worldwide total of US$28 million.
This photograph taken on February 22, 2023 shows a microphone - Sputnik India, 1920, 18.12.2023
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