Madras High Court Rejects Plea to Stop Dhurandhar 2 Screening During TN Polls
Chennai: The Madras High Court dismissed petitions seeking a stay on the screening of the film Dhurandhar: The Revenge during the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. A bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan refused to intervene at the preliminary hearing stage.
The petitioners had argued that the film's release during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in force during elections could affect the "level playing field" and influence voters. They argued that the film's screening was against the principle of fairness in the electoral environment.
During the hearing, the Court explicitly asked what law prohibits the release of a film during the MCC. The Court stated that screening cannot be stopped unless the film's certification is challenged. The Court also noted that the film has been granted a certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification and has not been challenged.
The court also noted that the petitioners failed to identify any specific objectionable portions of the film. Consequently, the court stated that a ban on the film without substantial grounds was unjustified.
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The film, starring Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar, was released on March 19. The petitioners alleged that the film portrayed the central government's national security policies in a positive light, which could benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rejecting all these arguments, the High Court stated that there is no statutory ban on the release of films during the MCC. The court dismissed the petitions, clarifying that a detailed order would be issued later.
