A simple act of kindness by Shah Rukh Khan has sparked an unexpected religion debate online, but filmmaker Pravin Tarde isn’t staying silent. The director says generosity has no religion.
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Pravin Tarde has spoken out after his recent comments about Shah Rukh Khan sparked an online debate. The filmmaker defended the superstar, saying an act of kindness should never be viewed through the lens of religion. According to Tarde, Shah Rukh’s support came at a crucial time when ‘Deool Band 2’ was struggling to reach theatres, and the gesture played a major role in the film’s journey.
Director Pravin Tarde recently revealed that his blockbuster Marathi film ‘Deool Band 2’ faced a major hurdle just before its release. The team did not have enough money to pay the Digital Cinema Package (DCP) charges required for the film’s theatrical release.
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According to Tarde, the DCP bill was around ₹43 lakh, while the producers had only ₹12–13 lakh available. With the release hanging in the balance, the team approached Shah Rukh Khan’s company and requested a discount.
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The filmmaker said the request eventually reached Shah Rukh himself. After asking his team whether the film was good, the actor was reportedly told that it was an excellent project. Without hesitation, Shah Rukh instructed his team to release the DCP immediately and deal with the payment later.
The decision reportedly saved the film from missing its theatrical release.
Tarde said Shah Rukh’s support came at the perfect moment. Because the DCP was made available, ‘Deool Band 2’ reached cinemas as planned and later enjoyed a highly successful run at the box office.
The film eventually crossed the ₹100 crore mark, making it one of the biggest successes in Marathi cinema.
After Tarde publicly shared the story, several social media users reacted positively. However, a section of the internet questioned why Shah Rukh Khan had helped a film based around a Hindu deity.
Some users attempted to connect the actor’s decision with religion, leading to a wider debate online.
Responding to the criticism in an interview with ‘Podkatta’, Tarde dismissed the controversy and said there was no religious angle to the incident.
Speaking about the backlash, Tarde said he could not understand why people were trying to turn a professional gesture into a Hindu-Muslim issue.
He explained that both he and Shah Rukh are members of the film industry, and his team had simply approached the actor’s company because they needed financial relief. He recalled that once Shah Rukh learned the film had received positive feedback, he immediately asked his team to hand over the DCP first and discuss the payment later.
According to Tarde, the priority at that moment was ensuring the film reached theatres rather than settling the bill immediately.
The director also made it clear that expressing gratitude to Shah Rukh Khan has nothing to do with politics, religion or ideology.
He said that when someone extends such generous help, it should have acknowledgement regardless of caste or religion. Tarde added that thanking Shah Rukh does not change his personal beliefs and that he does not need to prove his commitment to Hindutva to anyone.
For him, the incident was simply about appreciating a person who stepped forward to help when it mattered most.
‘Deool Band 2’ is the sequel to the 2015 film ‘Deool Band’. The story explores the emotional and socially relevant issue of farmer suicides while also examining the clash between faith and atheism.
The film stars Mohan Joshi and Snehal Tarde in the lead roles. Its supporting cast includes Mangesh Desai, Sanskruti Balgude, Devendra Gaikwad, Savita Malpekar, along with Pravin Tarde himself.
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