Media Eye News Bureau: The Supreme Court has cleared the decks that delayed the release of controversial movie “Padmaavat” as the top court stayed the notifications and orders passed by certain States to prohibit the exhibition of the Censor Board-certified movie.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film has been going through the legal battles for many months since its story line had released. The new order will allow the production team to release the film on January 25 itself.
Many factions, including the Karni Sena and other fringe groups, raised their objections against the movie as they believe that it distorted the historical facts leading to Rani Padmini, also known as Padmaavati.
The movie portrayed the 13th century historical battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh and his army of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.
The apex court ordered all States to ensure that public law and order situation is maintained during the screening of the film across the country. The court today ruled that movie cannot be banned by states on grounds of risk to public order while at least four states refused to screen over fierce protests by Rajput groups.
The court ordered the States to protect the artistes and the people involved in the movie from threats. It further forbade States from passing any order, notification which amounts to a prohibition of the exhibition of the movie.
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said a film may bomb at the box office or people may choose to not watch it, but the States cannot use its machinery to prohibit its exhibition citing risk to public order.
After taking a que against the release of the film, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had asked to change the name from Padmaavati to Padmmavat and also put their scissors in many scenes.
