The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it will watch a film purportedly based on the life of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) refused to grant it clearance.
The film, inspired by the book “The Monk Who Became Chief Minister”, ran into trouble when the CBFC rejected its certification, citing multiple objections. Among them was the absence of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the office of the UP Chief Minister.
A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale directed the filmmakers to submit a copy of the film to the court, with the portions objected to by the CBFC clearly marked. The judges said they would view the film before deciding on the plea. The matter will be taken up for further hearing on August 25.
A copy of the book on which the film is based has already been placed before the court.
khil Aradhe, appearing for the filmmakers, contended that the CBFC’s refusal amounted to a violation of their fundamental rights. They argued that the Board acted beyond its jurisdiction by demanding an NOC from Adityanath’s office, calling it an unreasonable condition.
Senior counsel Kadam submitted, “The CBFC is not the guardian of a private person’s fundamental rights. By insisting on an NOC from an individual, the Board has gone beyond its mandate under the Cinematograph Act.”
The filmmakers also pointed out that the High Court is empowered to hear their petition despite an alternative remedy under the Act.
