Images

Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor stopped from entering Ujjain temple over comment he made 11 years ago about eating beef

Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor stopped from entering Ujjain temple over comment he made 11 years ago about eating beef

They wanted to go pray at a temple ahead of the release of their film Brahmastra but were barred by angry protesters.
Updated 08 Sep, 2022

Bollywood’s Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have found themselves smack dab in the middle of a controversy as they were stopped from offering prayers at a temple in India’s Ujjain due to protests by members of political party Bajrang Dal. The protest was over comments Kapoor made 11 years ago about eating and enjoying beef.

On Wednesday, Times of India reported a police report that said Kapoor and Bhatt were supposed to join director Ayan Mukerji to offer prayers at the temple on Tuesday ahead of the release of their film Brahmastra. On being informed about the celebrities’ arrival, the temple committee and district administration had arranged elaborate security arrangements. However, members of the political party opposed their entry due to a comment Kapoor made in 2011 about being a big “beef” guy.

What Ranbir Kapoor said in 2011

Kapoor had appeared on a show called The Foodie for Times Now where he enjoyed a meal with the host. When the host asked about his earliest memories of home-cooked meal, Kapoor shared that being from Peshawar, the Kapoor family is passionate about food and about paya, junglee mutton and mutton pulao.

“My family is from Peshawar so a lot of Peshawari influences in the food has also come with them,” he said, discussing his favourite vegetarian dishes but adding that he is more of a mutton and paya person. “I’m a big beef guy,” he told the host.

Most Hindus follow a strict diet as per their religious values that restricts them from having beef because cows are considered sacred. This is what angered the protesters, even though Bhatt is a self-avowed vegetarian.

Speaking about the fiasco at a promotional event in Delhi, director Mukherji addressed the temple issue and said he didn’t want to bring Bhatt along because of her pregnancy but both actors were keen to join him for the darshan [sermon].

Sharing his thoughts over the main leads of Brahmastra not being allowed to worship, he said, “I was feeling bad that Ranbir and Alia could not come with me for darshan to Mahakaleshwar temple. I had gone to Mahakaleshwar temple before my motion poster was released. And, I told myself that I will definitely come here before the release of my film.”

He explained that both actors were keen to join him but upon arrival when they heard about the protest he felt “bad” about what happened there and told Kapoor and Bhatt to let him go alone to seek “blessings and energy for the film”.

According to the publication, the couple had to return from the temple without praying because of the protests. The police also detained one of the protesters after he got into a physical altercation with an officer on duty.

“We won’t allow Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt into the temple over the liking for beef remark. We’ll protest in big manner against local administration and police over the assault on our worker,” Bajrang Dal leader Ankit Chaube told ANI.

Kapoor and Bhatt will be seen in Brahmastra alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Mouni Roy, Nagarjuna. The film is set to release tomorrow. Apart from this, Bhatt has Jee Le Zaraa, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and her Hollywood debut in Heart of Stone alongside Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan coming up.

Kapoor has Luv Ranjan’s untitled next project and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal in the pipeline.

Comments

Jalal Sep 08, 2022 02:55pm
Why do we need this news
Recommend
SaneMind1st Sep 08, 2022 03:20pm
Be it any religion. it must be respected. No two thoughts on it. Served the couple right by denying them entry.
Recommend
Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Sep 08, 2022 03:27pm
Who cares?
Recommend
NYS Sep 08, 2022 04:00pm
Old flames die hard After Amir Khan table turn to Kapoor Hindus conserve mentality
Recommend
Jeet Sep 08, 2022 04:29pm
Lol. As far as I know "Mahakal" of Ujjain, it won't get affected by anything at all. It's just a cheap publicity stunt.
Recommend
Fareed N Sep 08, 2022 05:38pm
Guy likes beef, let him enjoy beef burgers
Recommend
Multani Sep 08, 2022 05:44pm
Hindus don’t eat any beef or are mostly vegetarian so why we are making a big deal here, we have more urgent issues to tackle at home, who cares.
Recommend
Seth-usa Sep 08, 2022 05:49pm
It’s a product promotion news.
Recommend
Hamid Faisal Sep 08, 2022 06:47pm
What kind of information is this, and more specifically what it meant for.....
Recommend
RazaHussain Sep 08, 2022 07:09pm
They came for promotion of their movie. Otherwise they never cared for visiting temple. That angered the people. It was not Political party but general mass did not like him entering the Temple.
Recommend
well-wisher Sep 08, 2022 07:11pm
There you go! Not letting people to pray is not freedom of religion. No one should judge others. Kapoor and Bhatt will have prayed in silence.
Recommend
Dr. Rafiq Khan Sep 08, 2022 07:43pm
Poor indians they have to watch Bollywood movies because they don't understand English.
Recommend
Fareed N Sep 08, 2022 07:58pm
Bad dietary choice- eating beef? come over to Pakistan, enjoy beef chappal Kababs, particularly in Peshawar.
Recommend
Bunny Sep 08, 2022 08:23pm
show biz is not easy dear. when they dont like you they make it very obvious.
Recommend
surendra sukhtankar Sep 08, 2022 08:46pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad : Shut up you silly person!
Recommend
Hamed Sep 08, 2022 09:45pm
@Jalal true.
Recommend
Facts Sep 08, 2022 10:03pm
This good for nothing,no talent couple is getting the treatment they deserve. These nepotistic dynasties have ruined the Hindi film industry.
Recommend
Abdulrashid Sep 08, 2022 11:21pm
What will we do if one of our Pakistani Celebrities said they like to eat P0rk? Indians are idiots.
Recommend
Sid Sep 08, 2022 11:27pm
@Jalal exactly
Recommend
Azaad Sep 08, 2022 11:43pm
Who cares? But they were not stopped, the decided to not go because a group was there demonstrating against them.
Recommend
Unique Sep 08, 2022 11:43pm
@Dr. Rafiq Khan , Guess who is begging the world for money ?
Recommend
Hasnain Sep 09, 2022 12:08am
@Jeet when you don't have enough knowledge, keep your mouth shut
Recommend
Baloch Sep 09, 2022 12:38am
India is the biggest exporter of meat in the whole world. What a hypocrisy.
Recommend
gt Sep 09, 2022 01:18am
It is India's problem to tackle
Recommend
Suresh Sep 09, 2022 02:16am
Milk and milk products are produced from the bovine species consumed globally. Once’s eating habits ought not be any significance on religion.
Recommend
Salvo Sep 09, 2022 03:56am
@Dr. Rafiq Khan poor Pakistanis cus they are poor at everything ..
Recommend
Syed Samiullah Sep 09, 2022 05:38am
Why this Dawn’s fascination with Bollywood?
Recommend
Asif Sep 09, 2022 05:47am
Ah another useless news.
Recommend
Abha Singh Sep 09, 2022 07:04am
May be it is just another Bollywood Publicity Stunt like the one Shahrukh Khan enacted on an American airport before the release of My Name is Khan.
Recommend
Suresh Aloowalia Sep 09, 2022 07:17am
@surendra sukhtankar You shut up...dumb fellow.
Recommend
Pak Pashtun Sep 09, 2022 07:37am
@Facts ..... then stop watching them .....problem solved.
Recommend
AVR Sep 09, 2022 07:57am
@NYS Do you accept a Muslim who says that he loves eating pork?
Recommend
AVR Sep 09, 2022 07:59am
@Dr. Rafiq Khan Where as Pakistanis can understand English well so that they don't need to watch Hindi and Urdu movies.
Recommend
Devbrat Singh Solanki Sep 09, 2022 08:25am
@SaneMind1st ❤
Recommend
Pallavi Sep 09, 2022 09:21am
Who wants to hear about them, stop flowing all this stupid news
Recommend
Kanchan Sep 09, 2022 10:51am
This all is being done strategically to destroy bollywood. I just wonder...no controversy on bollywood stars when their movies release on OTT...Kuchh aaya samajh me.. :D
Recommend