Senior leader attached to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rajendra Rathore, has urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to remove the song titled’ Shoorveer’ from the latest gangster-saga Mirzapur: The Movie. The political leader claimed that the song’s use in a film set against the backdrop of gangsters and criminal characters is ‘extremely objectionable’ and could hurt the sentiments of the public. 

Rathore has written a letter to CBFC chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati seeking the removal of the song. Addressing the media, the BJP leader said objections were also being raised on social media over the track’s inclusion in the movie. 

According to Rathore, the song carries a historical and cultural significance that is incompatible with the context in which it has allegedly been used in the film. 

BJP leader objects to song’s context

Notably, Shoorveer was composed and was voiced by Rajasthani folk singer Ashok Manda Bishnoi, who performs under the stage name Rapperiya Balam. Rathore claimed the track depicts the valour of Maharana Pratap and his legendary horse Chetak during the Battle of Haldighati against the Mughal Army. 

He further objected to its alleged use alongside characters such as Munna Tripathi and Guddu Bhaiya, who are portrayed in the Mirzapur franchise as violent and morally questionable figures. 

Rathore remarked, “Linking these two completely different contexts together is inappropriate.” 

Adding to the allegations, he also said that the juxtaposition of references to Maharana Pratap, Chetak and the Battle of Haldighati with characters making lewd remarks about women and engaging in immoral acts was deeply disrespectful. 

Rathore said such a depiction deserved strong condemnation and argued that historical and cultural figures should not be used in ways that could tarnish their significance. 

Technology cannot be used to tarnish heritage

The BJP leader also referred to an earlier controversy involving alleged disparaging remarks about Padmini’s Jauhar, opining that incidents demonstrated the need for greater sensitivity while depicting historical subjects. 

Rathore argued that creative freedom should not be used as a justification for what he called an ‘interference’ with historical facts and cultural heritage. 

He further remarked, “We live in the age of AI; one cannot use technology to tarnish our heritage,” adding that he would not accept what he described as tampering with history under the guise of freedom of speech or creative liberty. 

He maintained that the use of Shoorveer in the film was disrespectful to Maharana Pratap and the historical and cultural heritage linked to him. 

Singer alleges no permission was sought for embedding track in film

The controversy gathered more steam after the track’s original singer, Ashok Manda Bishnoi, claimed on Instagram that the Mirzapur team had not approached him for permission to use the song. 

In a video shared on the social media platform, Bishnoi said he was hurt by the song’s alleged use in the film and questioned who had authorised its inclusion. He added that Shoorveer was specifically dedicated to Maharana Pratap and objected to its alleged use in a context that, according to him, glorifies villains. 

He called the alleged use of the song an insult to both Rajasthan and Maharana Pratap.