The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) informed the Bombay high court on Tuesday that the film "Rahasya" is based on fiction and bears no resemblance to the case of Nupur and Rajesh Talwar, who were convicted for the murder of their teenage daughter, Aarushi and the house help, Hemraj in 2008.
The CBFC filed an affidavit before the Bombay high court in response to a petition filed by the Talwars, now serving life sentence awarded to them for Aarushi's murder, seeking a stay on the film directed by Manish Gupta, alleging it was based on "distorted facts surrounding the gruesome death" of Aarushi.
The CBFC affidavit filed by Sheetal Tandel, assistant regional officer of CBFC Mumbai states: "The film 'Rahasya' is a work of fiction. The film has a disclaimer in the beginning that it is based on fiction and bears no resemblance to any person dead or alive."
The Talwars filed a petition after the CBFC granted U/A certificate to the movie in January this year.
The CBFC has maintained that there are several differences between the Aarushi case and the movie. "In the movie, an 18-year-old Mumbai-based girl gets murdered. The father of the girl is arrested but released on bail and then acquitted. Soon after that, he too gets murdered. This is hardly the case with Dr Rajesh Talwar, who is still very much alive and in detention," adds the affidavit.
It further claims that the victim girl and her parents in the movie bear no resemblance in name or appearance with Aarushi and her parents, Nupur and Rajesh.
Senior counsel Birendra Saraf, appearing for the Talwars, told the HC that if as per the CBFC affidavit the movie is not based on the Aarushi case, then the Talwars do not have any problem. "We would still request the producers of the movie to arrange for a private screening of the film for at least one member of the family," said Saraf.
Advocate Atul Damle, appeared on behalf of Gupta and producer UVI Films Production Ltd, and sought time to till March 10 to seek instructions on whether a private screening can be arranged.
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