Within a week after its release in UAE, Amitabh Bachchan's latest flick Sarkar has triggered a controversy, with many moviegoers taking strong exception to the oblique depiction of its national hero as a 'hitman' in the movie.

The film has ruffled the feathers of movie buffs after they found the character of an Olympic gold medalist in the movie, hired from Dubai to finish off the underworld don played by Bachchan, closely resembling international shooter Shaikh Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum.

Maktoum, a member of Dubai's ruling family, is UAE's national hero after he won for the country its first gold medal in the men's double trap shooting event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

"It's outrageous. How can they depict a UAE gold medalist as a hitman? The movie should be scrapped immediately," a moviegoer was quoted as saying by the 'Gulf News.'

"Amitabh Bachchan was appointed ambassador of the Dubai Shopping Festival this year. But instead of promoting Dubai, he has acted in a movie which shows Dubai, particularly its national hero in bad light," another viewer said.

Meanwhile, Dubai's Information and Culture Ministry is closely watching the whole episode. "We are contemplating watching the translated version of the movie for any objectionable scenes," an officer handling censorship issues told the daily.

The Ram Gopal Varma directed movie, which was released in India on July 1 amidst much fanfare, is loosely inspired by Francis Ford Copolla's classic Godfather.