Rajkummar Rao surrenders in court over the 2017 Behen Hogi Teri film case involving a controversial poster. The actor was granted bail after appearing in the Jalandhar court. Here’s what happened.
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JALANDHAR: Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao surrendered before a local court in Jalandhar on July 28 in connection with a 2017 case related to the promotional material of the film Behen Hogi Teri. The case had sparked controversy over religious sentiments allegedly being hurt by a poster featuring Rao dressed as Lord Shiva. After presenting himself before the court, the actor was granted conditional bail.
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What was the Case?
Back in 2017, the film Behen Hogi Teri released a promotional poster that showed Rajkummar Rao dressed as Lord Shiva. He was seated on a silver motorbike with slippers on his feet, donning traditional Shiva iconography, rudraksha beads, a crescent moon on his head, and long hair. The backdrop showed a street with shuttered shops.
The casual portrayal of the deity, seated in slippers on a bike, didn’t sit well with a section of the public, who alleged that the poster hurt religious sentiments.
As a result, an FIR was filed against the actors Rajkummar Rao, Shruti Haasan, and the film’s director, producer, and deputy director.
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The FIR included several serious charges:
- Section 295A: Acts intended to outrage religious feelings
- Section 120B: Criminal conspiracy
- Section 67 of the IT Act: Publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form
Due to these charges, non-bailable warrants were also issued against Rajkummar Rao.
Rajkummar Rao in Court This Week
Advocate Darshan Singh Dayal, representing Rao, explained that the actor hadn’t received a previous summons, as the address listed was in Delhi, while Rao resides in Mumbai. The challan had been presented in court without his knowledge.
On July 28, 2025, Rajkummar Rao voluntarily surrendered before the Jalandhar court and was granted conditional bail.
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In court, the defence argued that Rajkummar Rao was merely playing a character in the film, specifically, a man who performs as Lord Shiva in a local Jagran troupe. This, his legal team claimed, was a matter of artistic presentation and not intended to offend any community.
They further cited:
- The film had received a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), meaning it was approved for public viewing.
- Rao’s performance was protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Additionally, actress Shruti Haasan, his co-star in the film, was acquitted earlier, after the court found no grounds for the charges against her.
While Rajkummar Rao has secured bail, the case is still under judicial consideration. Meanwhile, director Ajay K Pannalal has also appeared in court, and proceedings for others involved are ongoing.
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