Certifying 'Adipurush' A Blunder, Sentiments Are Hurt; Make A Documentary On 'Quran' With Wrong Facts & See What Happens: Allahabad HC

While directing the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to submit their personal affidavits in two PIL pleas challenging objecting to the dialogues and scenes of the movie Adipurush, the Allahabad High Court today said that certifying this movie was a blunder and that it has hurt the sentiments of the people at large. The bench of Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Shree Prakash Singh, while questioning the psyche of the makers of the film, further observed that sacred texts such as Quran, and Bible should not be touched and encroached upon in such a way. The Court also noted that the sentiments of the people must have gotten hurt by the way the movie portrayed the religious characters of Ramayana. The Court added that in recent times it has come across several movies wherein the Hindu god and goddess were shown funnily."If we will shut our mouths today then you know what will happen? These incidents are increasing day by day. I saw a movie wherein Lord Shankar was shown running with his Trishul in a very funny manner. Now, these things will be showcased?...The filmmakers earn money as films do business.Suppose if you make even a short documentary on the Quran, depicting wrong things, then you will see what will happen...However, I may once again clarify that it is not about any one religion. It is by chance that this issue is concerned with Ramayana, otherwise Court belongs to all religions."The Court, however, clarified that the issue was not about any one religion, but, any particular religion should not be depicted in a bad light. While stressing that the Court has no religion of its own, the Court said that its only concern is that the law and order situation should be maintained.Significantly, the Court also clarified that it has not passed any substantive order in the matter as yet and that the oral observations of the Court were concerned with the issue at hand."But you will see that all these things would be published (in media) by the evening," the Court quipped.After an hour-long hearing yesterday, the Court today again heard the matters and wondered as to what went through 'Adipurush' filmmakers' minds as they came up with this movie. The Court stressed that no one thinks like this about Ramayana characters, in the way it has been depicted by the filmmakers."Does anyone imagine the religious characters to be in existence in the way they are shown in the movie? The attire worn by the characters in the movie, do we imagine our gods to be like this? Ramcharitmanas is a sacred text, people recite it before leaving their homes and you depict it in such a pathetic way?"The Court also noted that the issue before the Court is that all the characters of Ramayana, who are worshipped by the people are large have been shown in a pathetic way. When the Court questioned as to what made the CBFC pass such a movie and that it committed a blunder by certifying such a movie.In response to this, when the Dy. SGI said that the certificate was given by a board consisting of sensible members, the Court, on a lighter vein, remarked that if such 'sanskari' people were passing such a movie, then they are truly blessed."Aap keh rhe hain ki sanskar wale logon ne is movie ko certify kiya hai (referring to board members) jahan Ramayana ke baare mein aisa dikhaya gaya hai to wo log dhanya hai," the Court said.The bench also said that it asked several people about their views of the film and found out that the movie was intolerable and that some people even could not complete the movie as they couldn't watch Hindu God and Goddess being portrayed in a bad manner."Few people could not watch the film completely. Those who respect Lord Rama, Lord Laxman and Maa Sita, they can not watch such a movie," the Court said.These significant observations were made by the Court while dealing with 2 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pleas filed against the exhibition and dialogues of the Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon starrer movie. The Court will continue to hear the pleas in coming days.

Certifying 'Adipurush' A Blunder, Sentiments Are Hurt; Make A Documentary On 'Quran' With Wrong Facts & See What Happens: Allahabad HC

Sparsh Upadhyay

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