Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has landed in a controversy following a recent advertisement that has sparked outrage. The Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, a right-wing organization, has accused the actor of defaming the Maharashtra police in an ad for an online gaming platform. The organisation is demanding legal action against Siddiqui for allegedly tarnishing the police’s image.
According to a report by Free Press Journal, the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti has written to the Mumbai Police commissioner and Maharashtra’s Director General of Police (DGP), urging them to take immediate legal action against Siddiqui. The group claims that the actor’s portrayal of a police officer in the ad, which promotes online poker, disrespects the Maharashtra Police by associating them with gambling.
The controversy centers around an ad campaign where Siddiqui appears in a Maharashtra police uniform while endorsing a poker app. The organization’s Surajya Abhiyan campaign has criticized the ad for misrepresenting law enforcement, accusing it of being “disrespectful” and “damaging” to the police force.
Abhishek Murukate, Maharashtra state coordinator of Surajya Abhiyan, issued a formal complaint, addressing both the DGP and the Mumbai Police commissioner. In the letter, Murukate called for action under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979, and the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, citing defamation of the police. The letter also named Ankur Singh, the owner of the gaming app, as a co-accused, calling for strict legal measures.
Murukate expressed concern over the ad’s implications, stating that while the police actively combat illegal gambling, the ad undermines their efforts by suggesting that poker enhances their skills. He highlighted the irony of the situation, pointing out that it was outsiders, not the police themselves, who were raising objections.
The Hindu Janjagruti Samiti has also urged Maharashtra’s home minister, Devendra Fadnavis, to intervene and ensure the matter is addressed, warning that the ad sets a dangerous precedent for future misuse of police uniforms in media.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who started his Bollywood career in 1999 with Sarfarosh, is known for his versatile roles in films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Raees. However, this latest controversy has cast a shadow over his otherwise celebrated career.