Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan’s debut film, ‘Maharaj,’ has sparked significant controversy prior to its release on Netflix. The film, initially set to premiere on June 14, faced an interim stay imposed by the Gujarat High Court. After a week of uncertainty, the court lifted the stay, allowing ‘Maharaj’ to finally release on June 21. Actress Shalini Pandey, who portrays Junaid’s on-screen fiancée, shared her perspective on the controversy in a recent interview.

She expressed awareness of the sensitive sentiments involved but firmly believed that the film did not intend to disrespect any religion or individual. “I knew the sentiments around it and personally felt that we didn’t do anything to disrespect any religion or anyone,” Shalini stated.

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She added that viewers who know her were surprised by the lack of provocative content, contrary to their initial assumptions. “People who know me have been telling me that we thought there would be something bigger because of which people were reacting that way, but there was nothing as such. People were assuming, I feel. They assumed a lot and made a bigger picture in their heads, which was not in the film.”

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Reflecting on the impact of the temporary stay, Shalini Pandey expressed relief and happiness that ‘Maharaj’ is now available for audiences. “Of course, we did not feel good about it [the stay] then. The film is everyone’s baby and when you work on a project, you wish it sees the light of the day,” she explained. She also highlighted the anxiety experienced by the film’s director, Siddharth Malhotra, during the period of uncertainty. “He was extremely worried and anxious, and I would have felt really bad if the film would have gotten shelved. But, beyond a point, I couldn’t do anything.”

As ‘Maharaj’ reaches viewers, Shalini noted the mixed emotions surrounding the film’s reception but emphasized the overall positive response. “There are mixed emotions, but overall we are getting a good response. When you work on something, you want people to see it and am glad that it is happening,” she said.

Despite the initial challenges, ‘Maharaj’ has made its way to the audience, offering a moment of triumph for the cast and crew who poured their efforts into the project.