Madhuri Dixit’s much-hyped comeback film Aaja Nachle has been banned across Uttar Pradesh by the state government as it allegedly contains a word derogatory to the Scheduled Castes.

In a late night decision, the government ordered the movie to be pulled off theatres.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has written to the prime minister asking to stop screening of the movie throughout the country.

As soon as the order came in, the film’s screening was stopped in theatres across the state.

The caste factor

An alleged derogatory reference to a caste of jewellery makers has been made in one of the nine songs composed by Salim Sulaiman. The lyrics have been penned by Jaideep Sahni and Piyush Mishra.

The Yash Raj films production, directed by Anil Mehta and made on a budget of Rs 10 crore, was being screened in 198 theatres across Uttar Pradesh. The film will lose up to Rs 1 crore if it stays off UP screens.
Principal Secretary (Home) J N Chambers said: “Any reference that insults a particular community will not be tolerated.”