Plea filed in Delhi HC for cancelling certificate of 'Adipurush' for hurting Hindu sentiments

'The feature film Adipurush has created unrest amongst the Hindus all over the country', the plea mentioned

A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court for seeking a direction to cancel certificate of movie Adipurush and immediately ban it for hurting sentiments of Hindu community in the name of creative liberty and artistic representation.

The plea filed by 'Hindu Sena' through its national president Vishnu Gupta contended film makers, producers, and actors cannot be permitted to take an unimpeded creative liberty to commercialize the religious leaders, characters, their faces, personalities and looks including hair, in a sheer violation of religious rights under Article 25 of the Constitution.

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The petition filed through advocate Pratibha Sinha claimed that the depiction of Ravana, Lord Ram, Mata Sita and Hanuman in the feature film 'Adipurush' is contrary to the image and descriptions of these religious leaders /characters/figures as depicted in Maharishi Valmiki's Ramayan and Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas.

"The feature film Adipurush has created unrest amongst the Hindus all over the country. Therefore, the implication of release of film Adipurush may have far reaching consequences if it is passed and cleared for unrestricted exhibition," the plea stated.

"The Respondents in name of creative liberty and artistic representation, cannot hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community by presenting and depicting the looks as well as the image of Hindu gods and other religious figures contrary to the divine and revered image of these religious figures as depicted in the epic Ramayana authored by Maharishi Valmiki and Saint Tulsidas respectively," it added.

The petitioner said they gave a representation to the Union government's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary on October 4, 2022 but it has not been responded to.

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The film directed by Om Raut, and produced by Bhushan Kumar is said to be based on the Hindu epic 'Ramayana'. In the movie, released on June 16, actor Prabhas played the lead role of Lord Ram, Kriti Sanon as Sita, Sunny Singh as Lakshman and Saif Ali Khan as Ravana.

The petitioner claimed that the characters have been depicted in an inaccurate and inappropriate manner.

"The bearded look of Ravana’s character played by Saif Ali khan in the film is hurting the sentiments of Hindu community as the Hindu Brahmin Ravana is shown making a ghastly face in a wrong manner which is an absolute insult to Hindu civilization, Hindu religious figures, idols, ideals, etc. The scene related to Ravana in the film is an absolute distortion from the real facts and story of Ramayana," it said.

It also claimed image of Lord Ram, Sita, and Hanuman have been shown in an objectionable manner as it has been done to hurt Hindu sentiments.

"The Hindus have a particular view of the image of Lord Ram, Sita, & Hanuman and any change / tampering of their divine image by the film producers, directors and actors would be a violation of their fundamental rights," the plea said.

The petitioner claimed the feature film is liable to be not issued any certificate in terms of Section 5A of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The movie is not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition.