HC notice to CBFC over using 'Dandupalyam' in Telugu film title

The High Court of Karnataka recently issued notice to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and SRT Entertainments Private Limited over the issue of certification for the Telugu film 'Dandupalyam 3'.

Justice L Narayana Swamy was hearing a petition by Venkat Movies that had produced the series.  Venkat Movies has moved the court, seeking directions to CBFC not to certify the film with the title  'Dandupalyam 3'.

The film is based on a gang of serial killers/rapist gangs, called 'Dandupalya gang' as its members had lived in Dandupalya village at Hosakote on the outskirts of the city.

When residents of the village faced discrimination after the film's release, they moved the court and were successful in stopping the filmmakers from using the title Dandupalya.

'Dandupalya' was dropped from the titles of part 2 and 3 of the film. The first in the series, named Dandupalya, was made in 2013. It was dubbed into Telugu as Dandupalyam. The second part was released earlier this year. The Kannada version dropped the word Dandupalya and the film was named '2'. The Telugu version, however, was released as 'Dandupalya 2'.

The third part is ready for release. The Kannada version is titled '3,' while the title for the Telugu version was announced as 'Dandupalyam 3'.

The petition says the director, Srinivasa Raju, was given the rights to the Kannada version, on the condition that he cannot use the title 'Dandupalyam 3' for the Telugu version. But without his knowledge, SRT Entertainments applied for certification from CBFC under the title 'Dandupalyam 3'.