Nusrat Bharucha Visits Ujjain Mahakal Temple, Sparks Controversy with Cleric

Bollywood actress Nusrat Bharucha recently visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain ahead of the New Year celebrations, performing rituals and offering prayers. Videos of her visit quickly went viral, but the trip drew criticism from Bareilly cleric Maulana Shahabuddin Rizvi, who publicly expressed his displeasure.

Cleric’s Reaction:
Speaking to ANI, Maulana Rizvi, National President of the All India Muslim Jamaat, stated:
“Nusrat Bharucha visited the Mahakal temple, performed rituals, applied sandalwood on her forehead, offered prayers, and draped herself in a ceremonial cloth. From the perspective of Sharia, these acts constitute a sin – a major sin. She has violated Sharia principles and is therefore obliged to repent, seek forgiveness, and recite the Kalma.”

Nusrat’s Spiritual Background:
Nusrat Bharucha hails from a Muslim family but has long expressed her deep faith in Hindu traditions. In a podcast with Shubhankar Mishra, she revealed that she has visited numerous temples, gurudwaras, churches, and observed rituals like Novena. She also observes 16 Fridays fasts and the Santoshi Mata vrat, and has visited sacred sites like Vaishno Devi and Kedarnath. In addition, she also performs Namaz, reflecting her multi-faith spiritual practices.

Upcoming Projects:
Nusrat was last seen in “Chhori 2” (2025) and is reportedly working on Anurag Kashyap’s “Ban Tikki” and a yet-to-be-titled project with Love Ranjan, featuring Ajay Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor.

Nusrat Bharucha’s visit highlights her inclusive spiritual approach, but also underscores the sensitivity around interfaith practices in contemporary India, sparking debates on faith, culture, and individual choice.