The wall of court battle for Indian movies before their screening
Abstract-:
Indian movies have been the crown jewel of India since its emergence in 1912. Indian movies had kept Indians entertaining throughout the 20th century. With the increasing growth and development of Indian movies in the 21st century they are coming across an abnormal wall of court battle. Today many Indian movies are taken to court before their screening on the big screen. The fallacious objections are made against the movies and public interest litigations are filed before the court which eventually result in court battles for Indian movies. Even after the clearance from Central Board of Film Certification, Indian movies are still facing ban for its release. The central board of film certification is responsible for carrying out the public exhibition of movies in India. The certificate is issued by the board for movies to screen in theatres under cinematograph act, 1952.?
Keywords-: Indian movies, Central Board of Film Certification, depiction, Bombay High Court.
A streak of neoteric events for challenging the Indian movies before the court is being followed in India. Recently the bollywood movie Gangubai Kathiawadi created by the iconic director of Indian movies Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali was taken to the court. Some residents from Mumbai niggled at the depiction of some features in the movie. The makers and the lead actress of the movie Ms. Alia Bhatt were sued and a public interest litigation was filed before the Bombay High Court. The petitioners made submissions that the trailer of the movie calumniated Kamathipura as a red light area; the word Kathiawadi used as title would tradus the Kathiawadi community from Gujarat; the word China used in one of the dialogue in movie is a disrespect towards the north-eastern people of India. The petitioners prayed before the court to impose a stay on release of the film. But objections taken on the depiction of the features in the movie and the allegations made against the makers were scrapped by the Bombay High Court. Another incident was also recorded recently before Bombay High Court. A public interest litigation was filed against the movie named Kashmir Files to restrain it from its release on the big screen. The PIL was filed by an Uttar Pradesh resident stating that the trailer of the movie had inflammatory scenes which hurt the sentiments of muslim community and therefore this would result in a communal violence situation in the country. The Bombay High Court dismissed the PIL allowing the Kashmir Files to release on its scheduled date in theatres. Both public interest litigations were disposed off by Bombay High Court based on the three paramount keynotes. First paramount keynote was that the movies were certified by the central board of film certification according to the procedure established under cinematograph (certification) rules, 1983. Second paramount keynote was that both movies had disclaimers mentioned at the beginning of movies as prescribed by the central board of film certification. The third paramount keynote was that the petitioners had an alternative remedy under rule 32 of cinematograph (certification) rules,1983 to reexamine the certification of film which allows to raise a complaint to the board on depiction of features in the movies which according to them are inappropriate. Since the Central Board of Film Certification is an authorised statutory body for film certification under ministry of information and broadcasting, the court had its standpoint that the certificate granted to the films should be challenged first after having objections on the movies instead of approaching the court. When a movie is challenged before the court, the court takes its own time for matters to be heard therefore this risks the schedule of a movie for its distribution, bookings and screening fueled by crores of rupees as investment in the movie. The court battle for movies also disrupts the post production work which is prerequisite for any movie screening at theatres or on the online platform. The court battles for Indian movies affect their freedom of expression and the liberty they exercise in their art of movies. No filmmaker wanted to get engaged with the court battle risking their time, money and efforts they put into the movie. This would result the evolving fearless filmmakers being timid in delivering the high standard professional and realistic cinema due to the court battles that are emerging before the screening.?
Research methodology-:
This research entails thorough examination of events that led to court battles for Indian movies in India. This study has addressed the court battles acting as a wall for Indian movies before their screening in theatres. This study aims to provide insightful knowledge to its readers about the situation emerging for Indian movies in India. This study has been designed and interpreted keeping in mind the norms and values of the present-day society in correspondence to the evolving Indian cinema taking an professional and realistic approach in making of movies.
Conclusion-:?
The court battles for Indian movies makes a negative impact on its screening and the efforts put in to make the movie. Today when a movie is made on any public related topic they are well researched taking into account the sensitivity involved for public exhibition of the movie in India. This eventually results in a movie to be in the good conscience of the viewers. But unfortunately many people in India still have a confined view about the movies to be in typical primordial form therefore it is difficult for them to accept the professional approach taken by many Indian movies recently in India. The other aspect that affects the mindset of people in India is the realism nudged in movies with professionalism which fears particular people or areas depicted in movies to be judged by viewers which they feel as a scratch on their reputation in society. Indian people need to have a subdued approach towards the present Indian movies and should appreciate the efforts put in by makers instead of driving Indian movies towards the court battle.
Reference-:
Gangubai Kathiawadi controversy: Bombay High Court scraps pleas against use of certain words including Kamathipura in Sanjay Leela Bhansali film | Hindi Movie News - Times of India.
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Bombay High Court Dismisses Plea Against Movie 'The Kashmir Files'" https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/the-kashmir-files-release-bombay-high-court-dismisses-challenge-article-19-cbfc-193662
Cine_rule1983.pdf - Central Board of Film Certification