New Delhi (IANS). The Delhi High Court on Monday adjourned to July 27 a petition by a right-wing group challenging the certification granted to the film ‘Adipurush’ under the Cinematograph Act 1952.
The film, directed by Om Raut, was released nationwide on June 16 and a public interest litigation has claimed that the film’s characters deviate from the portrayal of these religious figures in the Hindu epic Ramayana.
A division bench of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula adjourned the matter.
On June 21, a vacation bench of Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju and Justice Amit Mahajan declined urgent hearing of the petition.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner, Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta, sought immediate listing.
The lawyer had said, “I am seeking to list the petition today or Friday as there are many controversial scenes in the film.”
“When the teaser of the film was released, there was an uproar. The director promised to remove some parts, but it was not removed. Similarly, when the trailer of the film was released, he promised again. Even Nepal The film is banned.”
However, the vacation bench refused to list the matter urgently. Justice Ganju orally remarked “You already know about the release of the film. If it is already released then who are you stopping?”
The PIL also sought directions for removal or correction of the alleged objectionable scenes. The petitioner’s case is that the film “hurts the sentiments” of the Hindu community by presenting religious characters in a “wrong and unwarranted manner” which goes against descriptions found in the works of authors such as Maharishi Valmiki and Tulsidas.
The petition argues that the film’s portrayal of characters like Ravana (played by Saif Ali Khan) and Lord Hanuman is alien to Indian civilization.
“The bearded look of Ravana’s character played by Saif Ali Khan in the film is hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community as Hindu Brahmin Ravana is wrongly shown with a terrifying face which is an insult to Hindu civilization, Hindu religious figures ”
The petition also claims that the “wrong” portrayal of Hindu religious characters has drawn criticism and outrage across the country, including the actors portraying these characters in Ramanand Sagar’s ‘Ramayan’.
The petition claimed that “hair style, beard, mustache and manner of dress, including appearances, are well defined as per the image created in those epics. Any change in these images by filmmakers and directors and actors would certainly Will obviously hurt the sentiments of worshippers, devotees and religious people.”
The film stars Prabhas, Kriti Sanon and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles of Lord Ram, Sita and Ravana respectively.
