Allahabad HC Seeks UOI's Reply On Certification Mechanism For Films Displayed On OTT/Social Media Platforms

The Allahabad High Court has asked the Union of India and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to provide detailed information regarding the mechanism established for the certification of films displayed on Over-The-Top (OTT) such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc., and social media platforms. A bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Om Prakash Shukla sought the details on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea seeking the cancellation of the censor certificate issued to the dubbed Hindi version of the 2015 Telugu movie 'Dhee Ante Dhee' (named 'Taaqatwar Policewala') for alleged dialogue against the people of Bihar. The Court has also sought a reply from the CBFC detailing the entire process of granting censor certificates to the films. The matter will be heard next in August. Though the Court did not express any opinion or issue notice to respondent No.3 (the film's producer), it called upon the UOI and CBFC to file their counter-affidavit in the matter. The PIL plea, filed by a Lucknow resident Deepanker Kumar, seeks a direction to the Government of 'Bharat' to take action against the Chairman and members of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for granting certificates for public exhibition to films containing 'unwarranted' dialogues. The PIL plea has specifically objected to the alleged dialogue of the movie 'Taquatwar Policewala', wherein the main actor, acting as a policeman, says “ बिहार के किसी कोने से आकर यहां हैदराबाद में क्या कर रहे हो। बिहार से आकर मुम्बई की तरह क्या यहां भी गंदगी फैलाओगे। यह यहां नहीं चलेगा. (What are you doing here in Hyderabad after coming from some corner of Bihar? Will you come from Bihar and spread filth here like Mumbai? This won't work here: Translated to English). The Court issued notices in the matter after Advocate Kuldeep Pati Tripathi, who was asked to assist the court, informed the bench that there are some highly objectionable remarks in the film in question “which can fuel regional prejudices and divisive feelings and can result in disharmony amongst residents of different states and has the potential of disturbing public order etc. endangering constitutional spirit”. The Court added in the event, counter affidavit as sought by the court is not filed, a responsible Gazetted Officer of the respondent No.2 shall join the proceedings through video conferencing on the next date.

Allahabad HC Seeks UOI's Reply On Certification Mechanism For Films Displayed On OTT/Social Media Platforms

Sparsh Upadhyay

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