Rajkummar Rao appears quietly in Jalandhar Court over 2017 religious sentiment case

Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao made a discreet court appearance in Jalandhar on Monday in connection with an eight-year-old case filed against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. The case, which stems from the promotional material of the 2017 film Behen Hogi Teri, had led to the issuance of arrest warrants after Rao reportedly failed to respond to earlier court summons.

Rao, wearing a face mask to avoid attention, arrived at the court unnoticed by the public or media present. Without any fanfare or recognition, he surrendered before the judge and submitted his official response regarding the complaint. Following the proceedings, the court granted him bail.

The controversy dates back to a promotional poster for Behen Hogi Teri, where Rajkummar Rao was depicted in a stylized version of Lord Shiva’s attire, sitting on a motorcycle. The visual interpretation sparked backlash, and a local resident of Jalandhar lodged a formal complaint at Division No. 5 police station, alleging that the image was disrespectful and offensive to religious sentiments.

Alongside Rao, the film’s director Ajay K Pannalal and producer Tony D’Souza had also been taken into custody by Jalandhar Police during the initial investigation into the matter.

Though the case has lingered for nearly a decade, Monday’s quiet court appearance marks a significant step in its legal journey, with Rao now officially responding to the allegations for the first time.