New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Karnataka government to uphold law and order and act firmly against anyone attempting to obstruct the screening of Kamal Haasan’s film Thug Life in the state.
A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan took note of the state government’s assurance that adequate police protection would be extended to cinemas screening the film, following protests sparked by Haasan’s recent remarks on the Kannada language.
The court cautioned against a growing trend of mob censorship, stressing that freedom of expression should not be curtailed by those claiming to be offended. “We do not want a situation where someone’s sentiment is hurt, and as a result, a film screening is stopped, a stand-up act cancelled, or a poet silenced,” the bench noted.
The court instructed the state to monitor and contain any divisive elements threatening public peace, emphasizing that it is the government’s responsibility to prevent lawlessness.
Following the state’s assurance, the Supreme Court closed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner M Mahesh Reddy, ruling that no additional directions were necessary at this stage.
Earlier this week, on June 17, the court had pulled up the Karnataka government for allowing protests to delay the film’s release, despite it having received clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The court had firmly stated that mob rule cannot dictate whether or not a certified film is screened.
Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan, was released nationwide on June 5 but faced roadblocks in Karnataka after Haasan’s remarks claiming Kannada was derived from Tamil sparked outrage.
