Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea against 'Hamare Baraah'

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to consider a plea questioning alleged derogatory dialogues and scenes in Annu Kapoor-starrer movie 'Hamare Baarah', saying the film was being released with cuts. 

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and S V N Bhatti said the court was not inclined to hear on merits the plea filed by Syed Ahamed Basha. 

Refusing to entertain the petition, the bench pointed out, "The movie was screened and the Bombay High Court judges also have seen the film. They directed expunging a few scenes, shots, and dialogues. So this was fine." 

In view of the court's observation, Basha decided to withdrew the plea, which was allowed by the top court. 

Basha through his counsel Syed Mehdi Imam challenged the grant of certificate to the film by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). 

The plea claimed that the director and producers of the film targeted a particular community and portrayed the status of Muslim women as slaves and chattels who are exploited by the male members.

"Chapter 2 of the Holy Quran has been misinterpreted and wrongly projected as ordaining the Muslim male to treat the Muslim female as his chattel and allowing him to exploit her in any manner,” the plea said. 

It also contended certain Muslim intellectuals objected to the film as it grossly misinterpreted Islam and intended to malign the religion and the Muslim community as a whole.

The Bombay High Court had on June 19 allowed it after the producers had agreed to delete those objectionable and controversial portions from it. 

The film, 'Hamare Baarah', starring Anu Kapoor, and Ashwini Kalsekar and others, hit the theatres across the country on Friday, June 21.