Maharaj 2024

In pre-independence Bombay, Junaid Khan as Karsan Das Mulji and Shalini Pandey as Kishori belong to a close-knit haveli ruled by the revered Maharaj, known as JJ, portrayed by Jaideep Ahlawat. The community lives under a veneer of piety, where the ritual of charan seva is supposed to be sacred but in truth serves as JJ’s means to prey on young girls. When Kishori becomes the target of this manipulation, Karsan’s protective love clashes with the harsh reality of the system, and he breaks off their engagement, only to be cast out by his own family. Kishori, confronted with the moral ugliness she sees in JJ’s world, grapples with guilt and confusion, yet remains convinced that she has done nothing wrong. The rupture intensifies when Kishori witnesses JJ preying on her younger sister Devi, a moment that forces her to confront the depths of JJ’s exploitation. Realizing the magnitude of the harm but feeling she has already lost Karsan, Kishori makes a tragic choice, taking her own life before she can tell Karsan that there might still be a future for them. Devi carries Kishori’s final message to Karsan, urging him to expose JJ’s evil to the world and give a voice to those silenced by fear and tradition.

Powered by that final call, Karsan begins a difficult crusade to reveal JJ’s pattern of abuse. He faces relentless resistance from JJ and his devoted followers, who cling to tradition as a shield against scrutiny. Yet he finds an important ally in Viraaj, Sharvari Wagh in the role, who helps him rally supporters and publish JJ’s wrongdoings in a newspaper of his own. This publication gradually shifts public opinion and unsettles JJ’s grip on power, drawing more eyes to the truth and emboldening others who have suffered in silence.

The conflict grows thornier as JJ reacts with fury, threatening Karsan’s father in a bid to silence him and stop the spreading testimony. Despite these tactics, Karsan refuses to back down, adamant that truth must prevail even against fear and intimidation. JJ escalates the battle by filing a defamation suit against Karsan, a legal assault meant to bury the allegations beneath a veneer of doubt. The confrontation moves from alleys and homes to the courtroom, where Karsan’s resolve is tested to its limit. Even with limited public support, the message resonates with those who have felt JM’s exploitation firsthand, and Viraaj’s continued support helps remind them that the fight is about more than one man’s reputation—it’s about giving a voice to women who were coerced into a system that claimed to be holy.

In the courtroom, Karsan takes the stand to challenge JJ’s misinterpretations of scripture and the way he has used religion to justify control over women and girls. He speaks of dignity, consent, and the right to worship freely without being exploited in the name of faith. The testimony sparks a turning point: haveli followers in the courtroom begin to side with Karsan and testify against JJ, underscoring the truth of the claims he published and challenging the authority the Maharaj wielded. The atmosphere shifts from fear to courage as the community begins to see through the veneer of religiosity and recognize the harm that was inflicted.

By the end, JJ’s hold on his followers dissolves, and Karsan is acquitted of the defamation charges. The crowd’s applause marks a moral victory as the public acknowledges that the documents and testimonies were not fabrications but a call to accountability. The film closes with a sense of renewal for those who were silenced, and a newfound hope that voices—especially those of women subjected to charan seva—can demand change when truth is given space to speak.