“We cannot decide who plays role A or B in a movie”, the Delhi High Court said on Friday, while dismissing a plea to stop filming of a movie on the 1962 Sino-Indian war hero rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat.
The plea had raised objection to the portrayal of the jawan by an actor who is accused in a criminal case.
A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked the petitioner if there was any law that says a person on bail cannot portray a national hero or living legend.
When the lawyer of the petitioner could not give any response to the query, the Bench reminded him that nobody could just move the court on what he thinks is immoral.
“There has to be some legal basis,” the Bench remarked, while rejecting the petition “dismissed as withdrawn.”
The petition filed by advocate Samrendra Kumar said rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat sacrificed his life for the nation in the 1962 Sino-Indian war.
Rawat was a soldier of the 4 Garhwal Rifles, who got the Mahavir Chakra posthumously for his valour at the battle of Nuranang in Arunachal Pradesh. He had prevented the Chinese troops for three days from overrunning his post.
The petition said that the post which he held against the Chinese Army is named after him as Jaswant Garh. It said Rawat continued in the service even after death.
“He has been awarded promotions as if he is still serving the nation,” the petition said.
“The Indian Army keeps at least half a dozen personnel at the post to take care of Rawat as if he is alive. He is served bed tea at 4.30 a.m., breakfast at 9 a.m. and dinner at 7 p.m.”
The petition said the movie titled ‘Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat’ was being made without the consent of the family members of the jawan or the Ministry of Defence.
It sought to remove an actor named Awinash Dhyani, who is accused in a criminal case, from playing the role of the jawan.
