The movie "Maharaj," starring Junaid Khan, son of Bollywood star Aamir Khan, is now streaming on Netflix after facing boycott calls before its release. Since the film is said to be based on a real-life incident, let's get to know one of the main yet important characters portrayed by actor Jaideep Ahlawat. Here's all about real-life Jadunathji Brijratnaji, aka JJ, in Netflix’s ‘Maharaj.’
The movie "Maharaj," directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra, takes viewers back to 1855, when religious leaders from the Pushtimarg and Vallabhacharya communities arrived in Bombay (now Mumbai). The film is inspired by true events, although the filmmakers added some creative touches to make it more entertaining while keeping the key details of the Maharaj Libel Case accurate.
The movie claims that in real life, these religious leaders were scamming people but still had strong community support. They performed daily rituals, attracting large numbers of devotees. During this time, social reformers were criticising government policies and social norms through their own newspapers. One such reformer, Karsandas Mulji, criticised the practices of the Maharajs in his newspaper, "Satya Prakash." This angered the Maharajs, who wanted to protect their reputation and prevent their followers from losing faith.
In the film, it is shown that Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj, known as JJ, decided to file a defamation case against Karsandas. Karsandas had accused the Maharajs of exploiting women under the guise of religious blessings. In the movie, JJ is shown having an intimate act with Karsandas’s wife, which motivates Karsandas to fight back. However, this part is likely fictional. In reality, Karsandas published the truth because he believed that no one had the right to oppress others, especially in the name of tradition.
JJ was confident that his followers’ support would sway the court in his favour, but the case was dismissed. JJ’s personal physician, Bhau Daji, testified against him, revealing that JJ had syphilis due to his relationships with multiple women. The defence presented strong evidence, and despite JJ’s denials, the court sided with Karsandas. Karsandas won the case and received compensation of Rs 11,500.
JJ and his followers tried to intimidate potential witnesses, and many women were too afraid to speak against him due to his influence. However, as people began to reveal the truth, the court recognised JJ’s misconduct.
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After losing the case, JJ realised he could no longer easily manipulate people’s trust. Although he didn’t lose all his followers, the judgement showed that even godmen could be held accountable.
Jaideep Ahlawat played JJ in the film, but some viewers felt the character lacked depth. While the movie aimed to show the harsh reality of corrupt godmen, adding more layers to JJ’s character could have made it even more engaging.
Overall, "Maharaj" highlights the story of Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj and his clash with reformer Karsandas Mulji.
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