“A small documentary on Quran…”: Allahabad HC on ‘Adipurush’

PTI, Jun 29, 2023, 10:15 AM IST

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday pulled up the makers of “Adipurush” over the “very shameful manner” in which the movie portrayed the Ramayana characters, asking them to imagine the law and order problem if the Quran was treated in a similar manner.

The Lucknow bench of the high court, which was hearing a petition seeking a ban on the film, asked why such movies are made on the Ramayana, Quran or Bible when they disturb religious feelings.

“Suppose a small documentary was made on the Quran, can you think what kind of a serious law and order problem would have been created. But because of the tolerance of Hindus, things are not turning ugly despite this blunder by filmmakers,” said the vacation bench of justices Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Shree Prakash Singh.

“Lord Shiva was shown to be running with his trishul in a movie. Now, Lord Ram and other characters of Ramayana have been shown in a very shameful manner. Should it not stop?” the bench asked.

During the course of hearing, the bench said that “should the court remain silent considering the funny manner in which the movie has been made”.

Expressing the need to make specific guidelines for making such movies, the bench stressed that films made on religious subjects should not “instigate the religious feelings of any community”.

The bench also said that the court has no religious inclination and if a plea had come up before it in regard to the Quran or Bible, it would have taken the same tough stand.

Justice Singh asked the filmmakers why they do not make movies showing the sacrifice of Lord Ram and his love for his brother Bharat.

On the plea of production house’s senior lawyer Sudeep Seth that there is no book which depicts the dress of Lord Ram and other characters of Ramayana, Justice Singh asked Seth if he has not gone through the original copy of the Constitution of India which contains pictures of Lord Ram and other gods shown in decent dresses. Seth was left speechless when the bench asked him if he would like to worship idols of indecently dressed gods as shown in the movie in his prayer room.

Hearing the PIL filed by Kuldeep Tiwari and Naveen Dhawan seeking ban on the movie, the bench asked deputy solicitor general S B Pandey as to why the central government was not reviewing the certificate granted by the Central Board of Film Certification for telecasting the movie.

To this, Pandey said that the bench should come out with a solution while opposing the PIL, saying that the censor board had granted the certificate to telecast the movie after a panel of many senior board members watched it.

“Better senses should prevail over such sacramental members,” reacted the bench sharply in a crowded open court.

When the bench asked additional advocate general V K Shahi as to why the state government was not taking any action, he said the act of the filmmakers was incorrigible.

Earlier, arguing on the PIL, advocates Ranjana Agnihotri and Prince Lenin stressed that the movie should immediately be banned.

After hearing the PIL, the bench proposed to pass the order in its chamber. The court, however, made it clear that it may issue notice to the makers of “Adipurush” and ask the central government as to why it was not taking action to cancel the certificate granted by the censor board for telecasting the movie.