Ajay Devgnfirst collaboration with Aanand L Rai was expected to get a huge response, given that it marked the superstar’s return to action films after ‘Dhamaal 4’. But things changed when the first teaser of the film, ‘Chauhaan’, created controversy right after its release. Both the Chauhan community and the Kshatriya Parishad raised objections over certain content in the promo, forcing the makers to replace Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub’s voice with another artist within days. Now, weeks later, the actor has broken his silence on the matter.
“I have nothing to do with the film”: Zeeshan statement
Taking to X, Zeeshan issued a statement clarifying that he has no connection with ‘Chauhaan’. Without directly naming the film, he revealed that he had been asked to “dub a line without any reference” a few months ago. Given his long-standing association with Aanand L Rai, having appeared regularly in the director’s films, Zeeshan explained, “I did it in good faith without asking more as I knew the makers personally. As soon as the teaser was released and I saw the context in which it was (mis)used, I asked the filmmakers to remove my voice from the teaser as I have nothing to do with the film.”
The title announcement video sparked a debate about the dialogue
The title teaser video of “Chauhaan” was released on June 25, marking the birth anniversary of Ajay’s father Veeru Devgn. It was the dialogue, “Pathaanon ko keh do Chauhaan aa raha hai”, that sparked debate online.
Film reportedly inspired by the real Jama Masjid incident
Reports suggest that the film is inspired by a real-life incident outside Jama Masjid, where Jammu and Kashmir police personnel had been deployed on a busy Friday. During the rally, the crowd suddenly turned violent and started pelting stones at both the police and CRPF personnel, unaware that undercover officers were monitoring their movements all along. However, the makers are yet to confirm whether ‘Chauhaan’ is officially based on true events.
About the movie
Directed by Neeraj Yadav, ‘Chauhaan’ is produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Aanand L Rai and Himanshu Sharma under the banners of Jio Studios and Color Yellow. The film is slated to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.