Producer of Disha Encounter movie, based on the rape and murder of a vet and subsequent killing of four youngsters in an ‘exchange of fire with police’, assured Telangana High Court on Monday that the film would not be released for next two weeks.
The film producer’s counsel Durga Prasad gave this assurance to a bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy. The bench was hearing a writ appeal filed by the vet’s father challenging a single judge order over release of the film. With the producer’s assurance that the film’s release was being deferred by two weeks, the bench closed the writ appeal. During the arguments on Monday, the producer’s counsel contended that the film was not directed by Ram Gopal Varma. He maintained that Disha film was directed by Anand Chandra.
The producer only took the story content of the film from Mr. Varma, the lawyer told the court. The film was made with the title Asha Encounter . A four-member committee of the Central Board of Film Certification initially examined the film following directions from the HC over a writ petition filed by the vet’s father.
It referred the film to a large committee of the Board comprising nine members to issue certificate for release. The nine-member committee examined the movie and gave ‘A’ certificate to the film on this April 16, the producer’s lawyer informed the bench. Since a final call was yet to be taken on whether to release the film directly in theatres or through OTT platform, the film would not be released for the next two weeks.
Father of the vet, who was sexually assaulted and murdered by a gang of four youngsters in Hyderabad, moved the HC seeking a direction to stop making of the movie which was based on his daughter’s case. He stated in the plea that the Supreme Court constituted a judicial commission on the ‘exchange of fire’ with the police resulting in the killing of the four accused in the case.
The matter was still under inquiry by the commission. A single judge passed an order over release of the film subject to some conditions. Questioning this order, the vet’s father filed a writ appeal. The bench took the assurance given by the film producer on record and closed the writ appeal.
