BJP leader claims film ‘The Taj Story' based on his petition, approaches I&B Ministry seeking ban

A BJP leader from Ayodhya has filed a complaint with the I&B Ministry and the CBFC, seeking a ban on the upcoming film ‘The Taj Story' starring Paresh Rawal, claiming that it is based on the subject of a petition he filed in the high court.

Rajneesh Singh, a BJP spokesperson from Ayodhya, filed a petition in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court in October 2022, seeking the opening of 22 locked rooms inside the Taj Mahal, claiming the monument was originally a temple.

The petition, in which he sought the formation of a committee involving the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to give clarity on the 17th-century monument, was dismissed by the high court in May 2022.

In his complaint to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Monday, Singh said, “I filed a PIL for opening the 22 closed rooms in the Taj Mahal. My objective was solely to ensure transparency and verification of historical facts. I have come to know that the movie 'The Taj Story' is based on the subject of my petition.” He also claimed that the film's posters, promotional material, and storyline make references to the judicial subject and the petition in a “misleading” manner without obtaining permission from him.

“This is a violation of my intellectual and legal rights. The commercial use of a judicial matter is also inappropriate,” Singh said.

“The screening of such a film may not only affect the judicial process, but also create unnecessary tension in social and religious sentiments,” he added, demanding an immediate stay on the censor process and public release of ‘The Taj Story'.

The film's script and storyline should be examined to determine whether it has used the contents of his petition or any other intellectual work without consent, Singh said.

The BJP leader also said that until the inquiry is complete, the film's promotion and screening should be prohibited.

‘The Taj Story' is an upcoming Hindi courtroom drama written and directed by Tushar Amrish Goel and produced by Suresh Jha. It stars Paresh Rawal, Zakir Hussain, Amruta Khanvilkar, Namit Das and Sneha Wagh in key roles.