Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, known for his outspoken ways, says it was "Talibanistic" when a Muslim family was forced to leave a theatre after they did not stand up when the national anthem was played before a film's screening here.

"Respect has to come from within and cannot be enforced.. It's downright talibanistic to beat up people for not standing for national anthem," Varma posted on Twitter on Wednesday.

The filmmaker, who has helmed movies like "Shool", "Sarkar" and "The Attacks of 26/11", also said the act was the "upper limit of height of intolerance".

"Beating up people for not standing up in the theatre while national anthem is being played is the upper limit of height of intolerance."