The Delhi High Court on Thursday (September 17, 2026) questioned the use of a song paying tribute to Maharana Pratap as background music for a violent fight sequence in the Hindi film Mirzapur: The Movie, observing that it was “not in good taste” and amounted to “revering violence”.

A Bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia made the remarks while hearing a petition challenging the use of Shoorveer, a musical composition associated with the 16th-century ruler of Mewar, in the film.

“Prima facie, it does not appear to be in good taste. We have come to a situation where we are revering violence,” the Bench orally observed.

The counsel for the film’s producer said the song was used only as background music to “embellish” the climax, in which the protagonists fight a group of goons.

“There is no comparison of any of the characters with a historical figure. It has nothing to do with crime per se. It is a fight between two factions,” the counsel submitted.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the court that the producer had independently approached it, proposing changes to the scene. The CBFC said it would take a decision on the proposal shortly.

The court observed that if the producers themselves were modifying the background music, “the whole purpose of your [petitioners’] filing the petition is achieved”. It listed the matter for further hearing on September 24 and directed the CBFC to take a decision on the proposed changes in the meantime.

The petition, filed by Prashant Kumar Singh, alleged that Shoorveer was used in a manner that created an “undesirable association” between the ideals of Maharana Pratap and the violence depicted in the film.

“Mirzapur: The Movie is set against the backdrop of organised crime, gang rivalry and violent criminal activities, wherein the principal characters, including Kaleen Bhaiya, are portrayed as operating and controlling an illegal criminal empire involving unlawful possession and use of weapons, drug and narcotics trade, extortion, threats, murders and other acts of violence,” the plea said.

“Such portrayal, when coupled with the use of a musical composition publicly associated with the ideals of Maharana Pratap, is capable of creating an undesirable and misleading association between the values of courage, honour and sacrifice represented by Maharana Pratap and the criminality, violence and unlawful power portrayed through the gangster characters in the film,” it added.