A few weeks after the director Afternoon Pravin revealed that Shah Rukh Khan had waived a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) bill of Rs 42 lakh to help ‘Deool Band 2’ secure a theatrical release, the Marathi film has crossed the Rs 100 crore mark at the global box office. While many applauded Shah Rukh’s generosity, others questioned why a Muslim actor had supported a film centered on a Hindu deity. Tarde has now hit back at the criticism, insisting that kindness should never be seen through the lens of religion.Later he remembered how the support came. He said in an interview to Podkatta, “What is the Hindu-Muslim problem in this? He is part of the film industry, and so am I. We approached his company for a discount because we only had Rs 12-13 lakh, while the bill was around Rs 43 lakh. Shah Rukh asked his team if the film was good. They told him it was an excellent film, and he immediately ordered them to hand over the DCP, saying we could discuss payment later.“Elaborating further, he said that the film was ready for release but the dues were still pending. “The film was ready for release, and we had to clear the dues. He simply said, ‘Give them the DCP first. We will settle the bill later.” Isn’t that greatness? If someone helps us with such a big heart, should we ignore that kindness because of caste or religion? We should acknowledge it.”Lately he also dismissed claims that thanking Shah Rukh Khan contradicts his ideological beliefs. “As far as Hindutva is concerned, I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. Thanking Shah Rukh Khan has nothing to do with my Hindutva ideology. A good person is a good person.”Earlier, in an interview with Abhijat Marathi Filmy, Tarde had detailed the financial hurdle his team faced ahead of the film’s release. “The bill came to Rs 42 lakh. We just didn’t have that kind of money, and we didn’t know where to get it from. We approached Red Chillies and explained that ours was a Marathi film with a limited budget, but we wanted to give it a wide release.”According to the filmmaker, Shah Rukh’s decision was immediate. “He simply said, ‘Give up your bill. It’s a Marathi film. Give them the DCP. We can sort out the payments later. If it’s a good film, let it release.’ They showed great respect for Marathi cinema. For him, the film was more important than money. I credit all these people for the film’s success.”His comments, however, also drew criticism from some sections, with detractors accusing him of drawing unnecessary attention to a Bollywood superstar instead of celebrating the film’s Marathi identity.In response to the backlash, Tarde posted a strongly worded note on Instagram. “I’ve been traveling Maharashtra all this time, however, no one seemed to notice me. But the moment I mentioned a Bollywood star’s name, everyone’s pens started moving. Some people had already tried hard to stop this movie, but they couldn’t. So why fight it indirectly? This film has come this far without the support of so-called big names or influential figures. It has come this far because the effort behind it was honest and sincere. Thank you all.“He also referenced a line from famous Marathi poet Vinda Karandikar, saying that his message was that no one becomes greater by denying someone the credit they deserve. “Whether it’s Pitya (the film’s character) or Shah Rukh Khan, it doesn’t matter. If someone has helped you, you should be able to openly acknowledge it and appreciate it publicly.”With worldwide grosses exceeding Rs 100 crore, ‘Deool Band 2’ has become the third highest grossing Marathi film of all time, behind ‘Raja Shivaji’ and ‘Sairat’.