Delhi HC To Hear Plea Challenging Certification Of Film ‘Adipurush’ On 27 July

The Delhi High Court has scheduled a plea by a right-wing group challenging the certification granted to the film ‘Adipurush’ under the Cinematograph Act of 1952 for July 27, 2023.

Directed by Om Raut, the movie was released nationwide on June 16. The public interest litigation (PIL) claims that the portrayal of characters in the film deviates from the depiction found in the Hindu epic Ramayana.

A division bench comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula adjourned the matter. Earlier, a vacation bench had declined an urgent hearing of the plea, stating that the film had already been released. The PIL seeks directions for the removal or correction of alleged objectionable scenes and argues that the movie offends the sentiments of the Hindu community by presenting religious characters in an inaccurate and inappropriate manner.

The plea specifically mentions the depiction of Ravana’s character played by Saif Ali Khan, stating that it hurts the sentiments of the Hindu community. The petition claims that the film’s portrayal deviates from the well-defined descriptions found in the works of authors like Maharishi Valmiki and Tulsidas. It further asserts that variations in the appearance of the characters, including hairstyle, beard, and dressing, go against the image created in the epics and can hurt the sentiments of worshippers and religious believers.

The film features Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles of Lord Ram, Sita, and Ravana, respectively.