Which film faced strong protests and was not allowed to be made in Varanasi?

Deepa Mehta's film about widows

The correct answer is Option 3 - Deepa Mehta's film about widows

One of the issues that is considered to belong to the minimum area of ‘non-interference’ is the freedom of expression. At various times there have been demands to ban books, plays, films, or academic articles in research journals.

Some years ago Deepa Mehta, film maker, wanted to make a film about widows in Varanasi. It sought to explore the plight of widows but there was a strong protest from a section of the polity who felt that it would show India in a very bad light, who felt it was being made to cater to foreign audiences, who felt it would bring a bad name to the ancient town. They refused to allow it to be made and as a result it could not be made in Varanasi. It was subsequently made elsewhere. Similarly the book Ramayana Retold by Aubrey Menon and The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie were banned after protest from some sections of society. The film The Last Temptation of Christ and the play Me Nathuram Boltey were also banned after protests.