Protests against PK outside a theatre in Bhopal
Aamir Khan starrer "PK", which is facing protests by fringe groups, will now be investigated by the police in Maharashtra.
The state government has asked the police to check whether the film has objectionable content; some religious groups have objected to scenes that they say insult Hindu gods.
Sources in Maharashtra's Home Department say a senior police officer, Deven Bharti, will investigate whether any dialogue or scene in 'PK' has content that can hurt religious sentiment or lead to law and order problems.
In the past two days, there have been protests in cities like Bhopal, Ahmedabad and Agra, where activists have burnt posters of the film and demanded its ban. In Mumbai, many single screens were forced to cancel shows fearing vandalism by groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, which are affiliates of the ruling BJP's mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
The film's director, Rajkumar Hirani, has defended his work. "I'm deeply saddened and concerned about the protests by some groups against our film. On behalf of the entire team of PK, I would like to clarify that we respect all religions and faiths," he said in a statement.
Maharashtra's decision has upset the film fraternity; they say it undermines the authority of the Censor Board, which cleared the movie about an alien who exposes god-men and fraud saints.
Both the Supreme Court and the Censor Board have dismissed objections against the film, which had grossed over Rs 250 crore in India since its release on December 19.