KOCHI: A Division Bench of the High Court of Kerala on Friday refused to stay a Single Judge's order to screen the movie S Durga at the 48th edition of the International Film Festival of India in Goa.
The Bench, which heard an appeal filed by the Central government against the Single Judge's order, directed that a jury view the certified version of the film directed by Sanalkumar Sasidharan and take a decision on its screening in the film festival. The Goa festival, which began on November 20, will conclude on November 28.
As counsel for the Central government argued for staying the Single Judge's order, the court pointed out that his objection was basically regarding the name of the movie. Replying to the oral observation of the court, the counsel said his opposition was to the name and use of some objectionable words in the movie.
The counsel also argued that the jury of the panorama selection had viewed only the uncertified version of the movie.
The lawyer who represented the filmmaker contended that the Centre was adopting delaying tactics so as to stop its screening in the Goa festival. He challenged the arguments of the Centre that the inclusion of the movie in the festival would upset the screening schedule. The lawyer pointed that there were several vacant slots in the schedule of the film festival.
The petitioner had earlier contended that the movie, which was screened by the jury for the panorama selection, had excluded it from the list at the instance of the Central government and argued that the act was illegal and arbitrary.
The Division Bench later admitted the appeal filed by the Central government.
