Padmavati row: Here’s what courts said while rejecting earlier pleas

A look at what the observations of courts while rejection earlier petitions against the release of the film.

Pleadings in court not meant to create disharmony in society: Supreme Court  

Last week, the Supreme Court had quashed petition seeking deletion of “objectionable scenes” from the film Padmavati saying it was yet to be cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said: “We have been apprised that the film has not yet received the certificate from the CBFC… our interference in this writ petition will tantamount to pre-judging, which we are not inclined to do.”

The bench also censored parts of the petition, saying “pleadings in the court are not meant to create any kind of disharmony in the society which believes in the concept of unity among diversity”. Claiming that the film was a “character assassination” of Rani Padmavati, the petitioner M L Sharma also alleged that songs of the film had been released without CBFC clearance. “Censor board has a definite role. They will see the guidelines… It is their duty… We are on other things… Should the Supreme Court intervene in stopping a movie?” CJI Mishra said in response.

Delhi High Court calls the petition ‘hopeless’, ‘misconceived’

The Delhi High Court had also rejected a plea asking for a panel ahead of the release to ensure there is no “distortion” of history. Calling the petition “hopeless” and “misconceived”, the court said, “Have you (counsel for the petitioner) seen the film? Have the people, who are burning cinema halls seen the film? By this kind of petitions, you are encouraging the people who are agitating,” the bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar. The PIL was filed by the Akhand Rashtrawadi Party, which calls itself a political party in its petition.

Padmavati directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor was caught in a controversy after right-wing groups claimed that it distorts history and shows the Rajputs in poor-light. The film that was slated to release on December 1, has been deferred indefinitely by its producers, Viacom 18.