Bollywood star Nawazuddin Siddiqui has recently been embroiled in controversy due to an advertisement. A Hindu organization has accused him of tarnishing the image of Maharashtra Police and are demanding legal action against the actor.
According to a report by Free Press Journal, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has demanded the Mumbai Police Commissioner and Maharashtra Police Chief to take legal action against Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The group alleges that his portrayal as a police officer in an online gaming advertisement tarnishes the reputation of the Maharashtra Police.
His Surajya Abhiyan campaign demands immediate action, accusing Siddiqui of bringing the police into disrepute by promoting poker while wearing Maharashtra Police uniform. The organization says the ad is harmful and insulting to law enforcement.
Abhishek Murukate, Maharashtra state coordinator of Surajya Abhiyan, wrote to the state DGP and Mumbai Police Commissioner, urging them to take action against Nawazuddin Siddiqui and online gaming app owner Ankur Singh. The letter demands strict legal measures under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979 and the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951 for allegedly defaming the police through the controversial advertisement.
The letter expresses grave concern over the situation and highlights the irony that the same police department that arrests gamblers is now involved in this controversy. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’s Surajya Abhiyan condemned the ad for undermining the reputation of the Maharashtra Police, warning that ignoring the issue could lead to an increase in illegal and unethical advertisements abusing police uniforms.
“This tarnishes the image of Maharashtra Police. Ignoring this could lead to more illegal and unethical advertisements using police uniforms,” ​​the letter reads. It also urged Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis to look into the matter.
Murukate emphasized the hard work and training of the Maharashtra Police and criticized the advertisement, saying that online gambling enhances their skills. He expressed disappointment that no police officer was motivated to take action against the gaming application, adding that it was unfortunate that complaints had to come from external sources. He also expressed hope that the Home Minister of Maharashtra will take cognizance of the situation.
Meanwhile, on the professional front, Nawazuddin Siddiqui started his Bollywood journey in 1999 with the film Sarfarosh, starring Aamir Khan in the lead role. Their collaboration continued in Talaash: The Answer Lies Within and extended to Aamir’s co-production, Peepli Live in 2010.
She later worked with Shah Rukh Khan in the 2017 crime drama Raees and shared the screen with Salman Khan in blockbusters like Kick and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Siddiqui’s impressive filmography also includes critically acclaimed titles like Gangs of Wasseypur, Badlapur, Thackeray, Photograph, Mom, Raman Raghav 2.0 and Serious Men, showcasing his versatility and talent in the industry.
Also read: Nawazuddin Siddiqui believes representation of ‘typical hero’ in films is boring: ‘What does he earn…’
