In a scathing rebuke, the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday lashed out at the creators of the film Adipurush for its dialogues and raised doubts about whether the film's disclaimer belittles the intellect of fellow countrymen and the youth.
The court slammed the film makers and directed the inclusion of Manoj Muntashir Shukla, the co-writer of the film, as a party in the case. Shukla has been served a notice, compelling him to respond within one week.
Justice Rajesh Chauhan and Justice Shri Prakash Singh presided over the bench hearing the petition seeking a ban on Adipurush. Expressing their concerns, the judges asked, "Do those responsible for the disclaimer consider the countrymen and youth to be brainless? You showcase Lord Rama, Lord Laxman, Lord Hanuman, Ravana, Lanka, and then claim it is not Ramayana?"
The court emphasised that the film's dialogues are a matter of great significance, as Ramayana holds an esteemed position in society. It highlighted that people read Ramcharitmanas before leaving their homes and stressed that certain elements should not be tampered with in films.
Addressing the issue, the bench remarked, "If we overlook this matter, citing the belief that people of this religion are tolerant, will it also be tested?" It raised questions about the responsibility of the film certification authority, inquiring whether it had fulfilled its obligations.
Drawing attention to the portrayal of Lord Hanuman and Sita, the court observed, "It is commendable that people did not disrupt law and order despite watching the film. However, the depiction of Lord Hanuman and Sita seems insignificant.
These aspects should have been rectified from the very beginning. Some scenes appear to be of an 'A' (adult) category. Viewing such films is quite challenging."
The court deemed the issue "very serious" and questioned the actions taken by the censor board in response. When the Deputy Solicitor General informed the court about the removal of objectionable dialogues from the film, the court directed the law office to seek an explanation from the censor board regarding its actions. The court emphasised that merely deleting dialogues would not suffice and demanded clarity on the board's course of action. It stated, "Removing dialogues alone will not be enough. What will you do about the scenes? Seek instructions, and then we will take appropriate action... If the exhibition of the film is halted, it will provide relief to those whose sentiments have been hurt."
Addressing the respondents' argument regarding the inclusion of a disclaimer in the film, the bench questioned, "Do those responsible for the disclaimer consider the countrymen and youth to be brainless? You showcase Lord Rama, Lord Lakshman, Lord Hanuman, Ravana, and Lanka, and then claim it is not Ramayana?"
The court also acknowledged reports of people visiting theaters and peacefully shutting down the film. However, it cautioned against acts of vandalism and expressed gratitude that such incidents did not occur. The hearing on this case will continue on Wednesday.