The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear on November 28 a plea seeking a direction to the makers of Hindi film “Padmavati” not to release it outside India on December 1.
A Bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said it would hear the plea that alleged that the makers of “Padmavati” misrepresented facts before the court with regard to the Central Board of Film Certification's approval on releasing songs and the promo.
“We will take it up on Tuesday. You [advocate] file a writ petition,” the Bench told advocate M.L. Sharma, who mentioned his fresh plea for urgent hearing.
Mr. Sharma said grave damage would be done to social harmony if the movie is allowed to be released outside India.
He also sought criminal prosecution of the makers of the movie for allegedly misrepresenting facts that the songs and promos were cleared by the censor board.
Plea dismissed
The apex court had dismissed his plea seeking to delete certain alleged objectionable scenes from the movie.
The Bench had observed that the censor board has not yet given certificate to the movie and the court cannot “injunct” a statutory body from doing its duty.
Counsel for one of the respondents had told the court that the film’s promo was released and it has got the requisite approval from the censor board.
Mr. Sharma had approached the court, seeking a direction for removal of all scenes of alleged ‘character assassination’ of queen Padmavati from the movie before its release.
Viacom 18, the makers of the film, had said that they have deferred the movie’s release, which was originally scheduled on December 1.
The set of the movie was vandalised twice — in Jaipur and Kolhapur — and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was roughed up by members of Karni Sena during the Jaipur schedule of the film earlier this year.
