Deepika Padukone starrer Chhapaak's villain's name prod protest

The name change of the villain's character in Chhapaak, which is due for theatre release on Friday, has stirred controversy over social media. The ABHM national president has warned of nationwide protest until the character name is changed.

Mumbai: The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) on Wednesday has warned the makers of the upcoming film Chhapaak of countrywide protests if the name of the acid attacker is not changed within 48 hours.

Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, national president of Hindu Mahasabha recently said: "I have learnt through the media that the religion of the attacker has been concealed in the film by changing the name. I have also come to know through social media that his name was Naeem Khan, but in the film, that character has been called Rajesh Sharma."

"If you are making a film based on real-life, keep all the characters real. It's a calibrated propaganda of 'tukde tukde gang' of Bollywood to defame Hindu religion," he added.

Chakrapani Maharaj further warned that unless the name is changed, Hindu Mahasabha workers would stage protests and won't allow film's release in the country.

"We will take legal action. I will meet the Home Minister and the censor board officials. We will do everything in our capacity if the makers of 'Chhapaak' didn't listen to us," said Swami Chakrapani.

Based on the life of acid attack survivor Lakshmi Agarwal, the Deepika Padukone starrer is slated to hit the theatre on Friday.

READ | Deepika Padukone stands in solidarity with JNU student in Delhi

According to a few news reports, film's director Meghna Gulzar changed the 32-year-old acid attacker's name Nadeem Khan to Rajesh. Other reports claimed that the name was changed from Naeem Khan to Babboo aka Bashir Khan and Rajesh was the name of protagonist Malti's boyfriend in the film.

Nadeem, Naeem and Rajesh started trending on Twitter soon after Deepika Padukone paid her visit to the JNU campus.