In a setback to Bollywood actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to order certification of her controversial movie ‘Emergency’.
Hearing a plea filed by the makers of the movie, a division bench of Justices Burgess Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla, however, ordered the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to decide on the objections of Sikh groups by September 18.
However, the court refused to pass an order directing the CBFC for immediate certification of the film.
The bench cited a Madhya Pradesh High Court order asking the CBFC to consider the representations of Jabalpur Sikh Sangat before granting certification to the movie.
“We are unable to pass any direction in light of the fact that the Madhya Pradesh High Court has specifically directed the CBFC to consider the representations of the Jabalpur Sikh Sangat before certifying the film,” the bench noted.
“If we were to direct the CBFC to issue the certificate, we would breach the division bench’s directive. Judicial Propriety demands such orders ought not be passed. We therefore, are unable to direct the CBFC to issue the certificate as sought by the petitioner. We however, do not dispose of the present petition. And we direct the CBFC to consider the objections, if any, latest by September 18,” the bench recorded in the order,” the bench added.
‘Emergency’, starring actress and BJP-MP Kangana Ranaut, has found itself embroiled in controversy due to its politically charged narrative.
The controversy began after several Sikh organisations objected to the trailer of the movie, which featured Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
They claimed that the movie, which is based on the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and its aftermath, apparently portrays Sikhs in bad light and may create a divide between Sikhs and Hindus.