Fans of megastar Amitabh Bachchan have urged him not to promote the upcoming biopic of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav because of the latter's remarks on rape survivors.

Thousands have signed a petition hosted on website Change.org asking Amitabh to boycott the film Netaji - Mulayam Singh Yadav that focuses on the life of the wrestler-turned-politician.

The petition, started by Delhi-based Meetali Dadwal, has gone viral with over 15,000 people signing it in less than a day.

Amitabh Bachchan promoting the film 'Netaji' is giving validation to the deeply sexist comments by Mulayam Singh Yadav and his misogynistic ideology about women, said Dadwal in her petition.

Yadav reportedly said at a function on Tuesday: Often if one person commits rape, four people are named in the complaint. Four people are named for rape, can it be possible? It is not practical.

One critic said: As politicians they should make responsible statements and as a celebrity of the stature of Bachchan he should desist from endorsing such people.

Amitabh, 72, who was born in Allahabad, has reportedly been asked to introduce and promote Netaji - Mulayam Singh Yadav, directed by Vivek Dixit.