Principal Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class Harisha on Thursday restrained the producers and distributors of the new Tulu film, Girgit, from screening the film till September 17 after the Mangalore Bar Association objected to it saying that it showed advocates and judges in poor light.
The order was passed in an interim application seeking ex-parte injunction filed along with a civil suit by the association against the producers of the film, Majunath Attavar, Rakesh Kadri and Roopesh Shetty.
The Magistrate has restrained the producers from screening of the film with three objectionable scenes till September 17, which is the next date of hearing.
In another interim application urging the court to refer the film to the High Court of Karnataka for initiation of criminal contempt of court proceedings, the Magistrate said that he will pass an order after hearing the defendants.
The film starring popular comedy actors Naveen D. Padil, Arvind Bolar and Bhojraj Vamanjoor was released in Mangaluru and other parts of the State on August 23 this year.
Talking to reporters here on Thursday, association secretary Raghavendra H.V. said that the civil suit was filed following a decision taken in the association’s executive committee meeting after a few advocates complained about the objectionable scenes in the film. One among them includes a scene where a client is seen paying ₹ 50,000 to actor Arvind Bolar, who plays the role of an advocate, asking him whether the amount included ₹ 10,000 to be paid to the judge as bribe.
Advocates, he said, have also objected to another scene where a client attacks a judge.
The association filed the suit on Wednesday and it came up for hearing on Thursday. The Magistrate passed the temporary injunction order on Thursday when the court hall was filled with advocates.
Meanwhile, a delegation of Coastalwood Artistes and Technicians Cultural Association (CATCA), including film director Vijaykumar Kodialbail and film producer Kishore D. Shetty, met members of the Bar Association on Thursday. Mr. Shetty told reporters that they have apologised on behalf of the film producers and assured them of muting those objectionable scenes.
“We are hopeful of a resolution to the issue in a couple of days,” Mr. Shetty said.
Mr. Raghavendra, however, said that CATCA has not given any assurance in writing to the association.
