As soon as the movie ‘Adipurush’ was released in the cinema, many people filed P.I.L. against the exhibition of Adipurush in the Supreme Court and various high courts to shut down the movie. A petition has been filed in Allahabad high court on 27th June to ask U.O.I., whether it is considering taking appropriate steps in the interest of the public at large by invoking its revisional power under Section 6 of the cinematography act, 1952.
The court has passed the order against the dialogues used in the movies portraying various religious characters such as lord hanuman and lord Rama, in objectionable ways.
The gentle one should be suppressed? Is it so? It is good that it is about religion, the believers of which did not create any public order problem. We should be thankful. We saw in the news that some people had gone to cinema halls (wherein the movie was being exhibited), and they only forced them to close the hall; they could have done something else as well,” the bench orally remarked while noting that the C.B.F.C. should have done something while granting certificate in the matter.
Even the bench has further added, “Agar hum log ispar bhi aankh band kar len kyonki yeh kaha jaata hai ki yeh dharm ke log bade sahishnu (Tolerant) hain to kya uska test liya jayega? (If we close our eyes on this issue also, because it is said that the people of this religion are very tolerant, so will it be put to the test?)”
Even with the dialogues, the picturisation of lord Rama, Devi Sita, Lord Hanuman and Ravan of a few parts also drew the court’s attention toward the Guidelines for Certification of Films for Public Exhibition issued under Sub-section 2 of Section 5-B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, under which the pictures are not depicted in the term of guidance.
The court in issuance of the certificate.
When it was contended in front of the court that this is not Ramayan, the court confronted this argument by saying that “…when the film-maker has shown Lord Rama, Devi Sita, Lord Laxman, Lord Hanuman, Ravan, Lanka etc., then as to how the disclaimer of the film would convince the people at large that the story is not from Ramayana?”
And even to bolster his point, it has been submitted that the Board of Films certification may not revisit the certificate already issued to the film and that, as per Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act 1952, the revisional power vests with the Central Government. Noticing this court has granted 24 hours to seek complete instructions from the Union of India, particularly from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Board of Film Certification and posted the matter for further hearing tomorrow.
How it hurts sentiments grievously
While putting down arguments, the petitioner has recited a line perfectly that “The sacred fundamental texts and manuscripts are the basic spiritual and physical tenets of a cultured and civilised society which a common man of such a society relies on and lives. A man becomes an orphan like a fallen leave from the branch of a tree without his culture and traditions.”
In India, characters in the form of gods are considered gods themselves; even the incident can be recalled when a woman touched the feet of Ramanad sagar ji, who created the old Ramayan. And through objectionable physical features and communication style of the Hindu god, the character and the fundamental values of worship get distorted.
Legal actions can be taken against them.
Since the movie was released, various alterations and modifications have occurred, which is illegal under section 7 of the Cinematograph Act 1952. Violation of this section is punishable by three years of imprisonment.
Indian constitution gives us the right to freely profess and practice our religion and belief with full devotion. But the features of the film ‘Adipurush’ has created a dent in the values, principles and personality of our sacred deities and Gods by distorting every aspect of [their] fundamental values and principles and hence this feature film ‘Adipurush’ has hurt our sentiments.
Revocation of the certificate granted by the Central Board of Film certification under Section 5B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
The prayer to the court
Various petitions give different opinions; some want the court to take all the revenue from the director and use it for the beautification of the temple, use this revenue for the hospitals, and revocation the censor certificate granted by the Central Board of Film Certificate to the movie on the ground that it is violative of the statutory provisions.
The way forward
Noticing the massive outrage and the sentiments of the Hindu, courts are supposed to the verdict for the ban of this movie and through checking all the suitable sections and acts, a suitable punishment should be provided and all the revenue must be taken back and used it for the welfare of something which can soothe the anger of the public and justice can not only be deemed but to be done.
Author’s Name– Sakshi Agarwal (University of Allahabad) & Abhishek Mishra (Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow)