'Why show God in a funny way, Adipurush is blunder', Allahabad HC takes stand, mocks the movie

The Allahabad High Court in Lucknow, India, has made strong observations against the Bollywood movie 'Adipurush,' expressing concerns that it may hurt the sentiments of those who deeply respect Lord Ram, Lord Hanuman, and Devi Sita.

The court criticized the film for its dialogues that mock the epic Ramayana and its poor depiction of important characters. The bench, comprising Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Sriprakash Singh, stated that although they had not personally seen the movie, those who watched it had provided negative feedback.

The court questioned the defense of the film and called it a blunder, cautioning against showing God in a humorous manner. It emphasized the need to respect all religions and expressed disapproval of any misrepresentation of religious texts. The court further noted that it belonged to all people and was not affiliated with any particular religion. Additionally, it commended the followers of the religion portrayed in the film for not disrupting public order despite their objections.

The Allahabad High Court directed the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to submit personal affidavits in response to the pleas filed against the exhibition of 'Adipurush.' Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan emphasized that the court has no religion and called for refraining from making movies on religious texts. The court warned against touching the Quran or the Bible and urged filmmakers not to depict any religion in a negative light.

The court concluded the hearing by suggesting that even a short documentary on the Quran with incorrect information could cause significant controversy. The Deputy Solicitor General informed the court that the film had been certified by a board of five expert members, and the certification had not been challenged by the petitioners. In response, the court sarcastically commented that those who certified the film depicting the Ramayana in such a manner were truly "blessed."

The plea against 'Adipurush' was filed by social activists Kuldeep Tiwari and Bandana Kumar, who argued that the movie cast doubt on the integrity of the revered epic Ramayana and defamed the cultural heritage of Ayodhya, as well as the Hindu religion. The petitioners claimed that the film's trailer was clumsy and indecent, leading to the hurt religious sentiments of Hindus.

The Allahabad High Court had previously issued notice to the CBFC in January 2023 but received no response. The court allowed an application to include Manoj Muntashir Shukla, the dialogue writer of the film, as a party in the case. The amended application objected to Shukla's dialogues, labeling them as ridiculous, filthy, and against the glory of the Ramayana era.