Artist-director M F Husain has pulled out his latest film Meenaxi: A Tale Of 3 Cities, from theatres all over India.

Husain was prompted to take this action following protests by some Muslim organisations who objected to one of the songs — Noorun-ala-Noor — in the film. Meenaxi stars Tabu, Raghuvir Yadav and Kunal Kapoor, and is set to music by A R Rahman.

The All-India Ulema Council yesterday demanded an immediate ban on the song, calling it 'blasphemous'. "The song, picturised on Tabu, contains words that are directly lifted from the text of the Quran. In the Quran, these words are used to define the persona of the Prophet. But in Husain's film they are being used to depict the physical beauty of the heroine."

The Ulema Council was supported by the Milli Council, the All-India Muslim Council, Raza Academy, Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind and Jamat-e-Islami, who claimed the song has hurt the sentiments of Muslims.

Husain, for his part, said, "I have told my distributor Yash Chopra to withdraw the film from public shows around the country immediately. Since I have not sold the film [which has been directed and produced by Husain] to anyone, including Chopra, I would like to stop the screening."

Husain added: "I did not make the film for money."