Supreme Court dismisses the plea to put stay on Padmavati release

21 Nov 2017

Sanjay Leela Bhansali s film Padmavati continues to stay in the headlines as the protests against the films get brutal. The filmmaker and cast are receiving threats from the fringe groups for speaking against the miscreants and standing by their director Bhansali. While the makers have voluntarily decided to postpone the release of the film, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea filed by advocate M.L. Sharma on Monday to put a stay on the release. The court made it very clear that it is Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) who will make an independent decision while certifying the film. Advocate M.L.Sharma had filed a petition against the film stating the film has done a character assassination of Queen Padmavati.The petition also claimed the queen was not a dancer. She was a warriors wife and a warrior herself. He also claimed that the songs were released without CBFC approval and that board did not take any action against the makers. Form the filmmakers side, senior advocate Harish Salve and senior advocate Shyam Divan were present who revealed that the promos required approval and argued that audios dont require approval. He also revealed that the movie is before the examination committee of the CBFC. On Monday, November 21, a bench comprising of three judges led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra asked the petitioner-advocate M.L. Sharma, Can the Supreme Court intervene to stop a movie? The CBFC has a statutory duty. Can this court injunct a statutory board from doing its duty. All this happens because people do not read the Cinematograph Act and rules. The Chief Justice further explained, Five members see a movie. Once they see it, they discuss it among themselves and suggest cuts. Before they do anything, they give the film-makers an opportunity to be heard to convince them not to cut the scenes in question. The Supreme Court turned down M.L. Sharmas plea to initiate prosecution under Section 499 IPC (criminal defamation) against the film-makers. Pleadings in a court are not meant to create any kind of disharmony in a society which believes in the concept of unity in diversity, Chief Justice Misra said in the order. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali Padmavati is a period drama starring Deepika Padukone Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh.