Orissa High Court Directs Postponement Of State Film Awards Ceremony

The Orissa High Court today directed the postponement of the Odisha State Film Awards ceremony which was scheduled to be held tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

The direction from the Bench of Justice Arindam Sinha came while hearing a plea filed by Odia film direction, Bobby Islam who submitted that two films, which have been selected on several categories in the list for the award, are ineligible for entry under rule 3(b) in Orissa State Awards for Films Rules, 2010 as they are not original films.

The petitioner submitted that the two films 'Khusi' and 'Golmal Love' are not original films and still they are scheduled to receive the awards in the ceremony. It was the further contention of the petitioner that his film, 'Chhabirani', based on the true story of the 1980 Chhabirani gang rape, murder was not selected for the awards.

Appearing for the State, the Additional Government Advocate submitted that as per rule dubbed/revised/copied/remake versions of films are ineligible for entry to State Film Awards.

It was further submitted by the State that the content of the petitioner's film is stated to have contained immoral sexually explicit acts and had the potential of creating a furor if granted the award.

"It could have spoilt the social harmony of the society as the so-called perpetrators of the story of the film belonged to a particular caste/community," the reply of the State Government read.

In view of this, postponing the ceremony scheduled to be held tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, the Court has directed the State Government, through its concerned functionary, to re-evaluate all entries for awards.

"The ceremony scheduled to be held tomorrow will stand postponed. State, through its concerned functionary, will re-evaluate all entries for awards. On such re-evaluation, the result will be made known to the petitioner and all concerned. In event petitioner reports to this Court that his grievance has been taken care of or there is required adjudication, the ceremony will be held post order of disposal of the writ petition." the Court's order read.

Case title - Bobby Islam v. State of Odisha and others

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