Raza Academy has objected to the negative portrayal of Islam and Muslims in the film.
"We are against the title. People may use it in a bad manner if they don't like the film, which will mean an insult to the Prophet. The actors have charged money to act in the film and they may have dubious character in real life. How can we as Muslims allow such things to happen?" asked Saeed Noorie, chief of Raza Academy, who initiated the fatwa that was issued by Muhammad Akhtar – the chief mufti of Mumbai.
Upon telling Noorie that most of the crew members of the movie were Muslim, the former said it was all the more important than for them to realize their mistake. "We would have been criticised if we had condemned American or Danish filmmakers. If it's an insult then it is an insult and the person's religion doesn't matter," he said.
The academy has also said they will meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to demand a ban on this film in India. "We demand that the government files a case against Rahman for hurting the feelings of Muslims," he said.
