Controversy shadows ‘Kalki Sambhal’ as its second poster drops, introducing Rajneesh Duggal in the poignant role of Seth Banwari Lal Goel from the 1978 Sambhal riots. This film has gripped headlines by revisiting a traumatic episode long sidelined in public memory.
Seth Banwari, proprietor of the prominent ‘Murari Lal & Sons’, fell victim to the riots’ ferocity. A pillar of Sambhal’s business community, his brutal death underscores the riots’ devastating toll on innocents.
Duggal’s depiction aims to humanize the statistics, bringing to light the personal agonies of that violent period. Released on Saturday, the poster has sparked a torrent of social media responses.
Enthusiasts see it as courageous storytelling, essential for understanding communal fractures. Detractors worry it might reopen wounds without healing them, reminiscent of the uproar over the initial poster that invited official interventions.
As production advances, ‘Kalki Sambhal’ forces a national conversation on how history is remembered—or forgotten. Will it educate or divide? The coming months will tell.