Nagpur: Atop a gentle hill in Girad village in Wardha district, surrounded by lush greenery and revered equally by Hindu and Muslim devotees, stands the Sheikh Farid Dargah. A site known for harmony was used as a prominent plot in the Raj More-directed Marathi film, ‘Khalid Ka Shivaji’, which has now triggered statewide controversy over an alleged historical distortion.The otherwise quiet village, 76km off Nagpur, has suddenly catapulted into the spotlight after the film slated for release on August 8, was selected for Cannes Film Festival. The movie features several key scenes, including a zilla parishad school along with the dargah and its scenic landscape. While the village itself is not the source of protest, the film has inadvertently pulled Girad into the narrative.The film follows a young Muslim boy whose worldview is transformed after reading about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. However, right-wing groups have accused the filmmaker of twisting facts for communal appeasement. Protesters say the film falsely claims 35% of Shivaji’s army was Muslim and even depicts a mosque on Raigad Fort, which they say amounts to historical misrepresentation. Protests erupted after two individuals interrupted CM Devendra Fadnavis’s speech during the recent Maharashtra Marathi Film Awards in Mumbai and demanded a ban on the film.According to a local gramsevak, a 30-member film crew arrived in Girad last year and conducted a five-day shoot at various spots around the dargah. The team secured proper permission from the sub-divisional officer (SDO) for filming. During the shoot, the crew reportedly stayed at Jamb, a village near Hinganghat, 25 km from the location. The film’s visuals of the dargah, open fields, and school in the background now stand out in the trailer, which has gone viral amid heated political reactions.Amid mounting backlash, cultural affairs minister Ashish Shelar has taken a firm stand. Talking to TOI, Shelar said, “Distortion of history is absolutely unacceptable. We’ve written to the Union ministry of information and broadcasting to re-examine the film and reconsider the certificate issued by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).” He also questioned how the film passed review and added that an investigation will be conducted into how it was selected for Cannes Film Festival, raising concerns about possible procedural lapses.According to platforms like News Bharati, which is ‘loosely’ linked to Sangh Parivar, the film falsely claims 35% of Shivaji Majaraj’s army was Muslim, and erroneously depicts a mosque on Raigad Fort, which is an assault on the Maratha warrior’s legacy.
