Maharaj review: Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan's Bollywood debut film makes a splash, but for the wrong reasons

Maharaj court case: Justice Sangeeta Vishen of the Gujarat High Court on June 21 lifted the interim stay on the release of 'Maharaj' on Netflix. (Image credit: Movie poster via Instagram)

There are at least two reasons to watch 'Maharaj' on Netflix now. One, of course, is the controversy surrounding it. A day before YRF's 'Maharaj' was set to release on Netflix on June 14, X (Twitter) was abuzz with calls to "Ban Maharaj", "Boycott Netflix". A man named Shailesh Patwari had filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court seeking a ban on the film. After a preliminary hearing, the high court stayed the release of the film on June 13, scheduling the next hearing for June 18. This controversy has raised topics that are important to address in the age of OTT, and not just in the context of this film (more on this later).

The second reason to watch the film is Jaideep Ahlawat's turn as Maharaj Jadunath Brijratanji, an influential religious leader and the "Maharaj" of the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case. A powerful actor, Ahlawat (Paatal Lok, Jaane Jaan, Three of Us) is just divine (pun intended) in 'Maharaj'. To begin, it's hard to miss his well-defined abs in the film (the person credited for his physical transformation, Prajwal Shetty, was also the man behind Bobby Deol's fitness journey for Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Animal'). Ahlawat has gorgeous costumes and very little dialogue in the film. Instead, he has a beatific smile on his face for the most part - and this makes his con more believable and somehow more sinister.

As a launch vehicle for the son of Aamir Khan - one of the original Bollywood Khans - Junaid Khan, the film and his performance are middling at best. He embodies an earnestness that can feel jarring after a while. His "entrance", if you can call it that - the first time we see him on screen - is rushed, and unremarkable. That he holds his own in scenes where he shares screen space with Ahlawat and Sharvari Wagh ('Munjya') speaks to a certain talent, but it is not quite polished to a point where he can hold your attention completely for any length of time. Perhaps the fault lies with the character he is playing - of a young reformer with more idealism than practicality or charm.

Throughout the film, this reviewer also got flashes of 'Lagaan', but that could just be the mind seeking points of comparison between father and son - Aamir Khan and Junaid Khan.

A single-judge bench of the Gujarat High Court on Friday (June 21) lifted the interim stay on the release of the film, saying: "This court arrives at a prima facie conclusion that film Maharaj is based on events that led to the filing of the (1862) libel case and is not targeted at hurting the sentiments of any community. The film has been certified by CBFC, an expert body, after considering relevant guidelines."

Maharaj movie overview

'Maharaj' is based on a book of the same name by Saurabh Shah. The book and the film are about the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case that was decided by a British judge in Bombay (Mumbai).

The barebones of the case are thus: Journalist and reformer Karsandas Mulji wrote an article titled 'Hinduo No Asli Dharam Ane Atyar Ma Pakhandi Mato' accusing a religious leader - the Maharaj of the title - of sexually exploiting devotees. The Maharaj - Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj - then took Mulji to court for libel. The court decided in Mulji's favour.

'Maharaj' on Netflix stars Jaideep Ahlawat as the Maharaj, debutant Junaid Khan as Karsandas Mulji, Shalini Pandey as Karsan's fiancee and Sharvari as Karsan's assistant and potential love interest.

Maharaj plot

'Maharaj' begins from the beginning of Karsandas Mulji's life: His birth, his early years, his innate curiosity and his growing zeal for reformation under the guidance of Dadabhai Naoroji.

Karsan is part of the Vaishnav community. A religious leader or Maharaj of the sect (his name is strangely anglicized, and he's called JJ by all) has become incredibly powerful and incredibly wealthy. Such is the veneration for this leader that wherever he goes, people lay down their hands palms-up for him to walk on. In the film, we see how this religious leader exploits devotees who are convinced that having sex with him is a service to God. On being exposed in an article in Mulji's self-published journal Satya Prakash, Maharaj hauls Mulji to court for libel. There are subplots, and witnesses turn hostile. But in the end, Mulji wins and Maharaj loses some followers.

Maharaj performances

Jaideep Ahlawat is note-worthy as Maharaj. The character is finely etched, and Ahlawat inhabits its chiseled proportions well. But that's no surprise; Ahlawat seems to wear every role he takes on like a second skin and OTT has thrown a bunch of different roles his way. This is his first turn as a Godman and the writers have done a great job in pulling back on the dialogue, to let his smile and stature do the talking.

Sharvari enters the film in the second half, but she brings a certain energy and lightness to it. There's a bit of drama around her revelation that she too might have been exploited by Maharaj at age 16, but it's a blip in her otherwise sweet turn as Viraaj.

Junaid Khan is earnest in his turn as Karsandas, but he over-enunciates in bits. He's been given dialogue like: "Woh jhund kis kaam ka jo saath de kar himmat chheen le (What's the point of a community that offers togetherness but takes away courage?" and "Sawaal na pooch sake woh bhakt adhoora, aur jo jawaab na de sake woh dharm (A devotee who fails to ask questions and a religion that fails to answer them will both be found wanting)". That is quite a mouthful.

Junaid Khan inhabits the skin of the young reformer with what looks like commitment, but the role does him few favours. Mulji's idealism is of a different time, and the writing and direction do little to take us back to it. As such, a lot of things feel and read anachronistic. The song and dance seem mostly unnecessary. And the set design and background score don't help.

Maharaj direction and writing

A YRF Entertainment film, 'Maharaj' is directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra who has previously written and directed Hichki starring Rani Mukerji.

The writing is by Sneha Desai (she also co-wrote 'Laapataa Ladies') and Vipul Mehta ('Ole Ale').

The narrative voice-over is by Sharad Kelkar.

The dance choreography is by Vaibhavi Merchant. The film's largely forgettable songs have been sung by singers of the caliber of Shreya Ghoshal and Shaan.

Maharaj what worked, what didn't

The action of 'Maharaj' is set in "Bombay" of the 1800s. Yet the setting is sanitized, it's missing the bustle one associates with Mumbai - even 160-odd years ago. The streets are so clean and everything is so orderly that it feels fake - like a transplant from a Disney movie and how they would imagine historical Bombay to be.

The 1862 Maharaj Libel Case was fought just five years after the British crushed India's first war of Independence. Yet there is no shadow of this history even in the background of the film. True, reformers of the period were making major strides from widow remarriage to abolishing Sati and educating girls. But this zeal remains on the surface in this film.

Produced by Aditya Chopra, 'Maharaj' on Netflix is the launch vehicle for actor Junaid Khan, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's older son. As such, it does a lukewarm job - we see Junaid's earnestness but are not quite rivetted by him yet.

What works for the film is Jaideep Ahlawat's stunning performance, look and costume design - indeed, you could put him in a mythological series or film looking and speaking like this, and he would fit right in - and oddly enough, the controversy and court case surrounding the film!

Maharaj controversy and court case

The makers of 'Maharaj' probably knew that the subject - irrespective of its treatment in the film - would rub some people the wrong way. So, the film is bookended by disclaimers. Sample this long message at the end of the film: "A sect is more important than any individual or incident. Treating this incident as an exception, the Vaishnav sect continued on the path of religion. The Vaishnav sect and its followers continue to grow and remain a proud and integral part of the social, cultural and religious fabric of India."

The petition to ban the film mentioned, among other things, concerns about how the sect would be presented to people not just in India but across the world. The reach of OTT can, indeed, be a double-edged sword.

So, should "historical" films like 'Article 370' and 'Maharaj' from India, and, say, 'Youth of May' about the 1980 Gwangju Uprising and 'Rain or Shine' about the collapse of Sampoong Department Store in 1995 from South Korea and 'The Crown' about the British royal family, come with prominent disclaimers?

Should they not be made at all, or not aired outside certain geographies? How can and should entertainment engage with questions of history and authenticity. These are interesting and important questions to ask, even beyond the scope of what 'Maharaj' does and how it does it.

Maharaj trailer

Maharaj released on Netflix on June 21, 2024; a week after it was originally scheduled to stream on the OTT platform.