The Hindu Sena, represented by its national president Vishnu Gupta, has lodged a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court, demanding that the film ‘Adipurush’ not be certified for public exhibition. The PIL asserts that the movie includes objectionable scenes that allegedly depict religious leaders, characters, and figures in a derogatory manner.
In the writ petition submitted to the Delhi High Court, Vishnu Gupta stated, “This is a writ petition in the shape of public interest litigation under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of an appropriate writ in the nature of direction to the respondents for removal of objectionable scenes depicting religious leaders/characters/figures in bad taste. The petitioner further requests the court to pass a writ of mandamus, directing the respondents to refrain from certifying the feature film ‘Adipurush’ for public exhibition, and to take any other necessary action in light of the circumstances.”
The petition contends that the film has hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community by portraying religious leaders, characters, and figures in an inaccurate and inappropriate manner, contrary to their descriptions in ancient texts such as the Ramayana authored by Maharishi Valmiki and Saint Tulsidas.
The petitioner highlights that a representation was made to the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on October 4, 2022, expressing concerns about the movie. However, the petitioner claims that no response has been received to date.
According to the petition, the depiction of characters such as Ravana, Lord Ram, Mata Sita, and Hanuman in the feature film ‘Adipurush’ deviates from the image and descriptions as described in Maharishi Valmiki’s Ramayana and Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas.
The PIL has been filed in the interest of the general public who may lack the means or legal expertise to approach the court independently, aiming to address the alleged offense caused by the film.
Directed by Om Raut and produced by Bhushan Kumar, ‘Adipurush’ is based on the Hindu epic Ramayana and boasts a star-studded cast including Prabhas as Lord Ram, Kriti Sanon as Sita, and Sunny Singh as Lakshman. Saif Ali Khan essays the role of Ravana in the movie. The film has already generated significant anticipation and excitement among fans.
The Delhi High Court will now review the PIL and consider the arguments presented by the Hindu Sena, taking into account the alleged misrepresentation of religious leaders and characters in ‘Adipurush.’ The court’s decision will shed light on the future certification and exhibition of the film, sparking discussions about artistic freedom, religious sentiments, and the responsibility of filmmakers to accurately portray cultural and religious narratives.
Sources By Agencies
