Ban on Deshdrohi to continue: HC

Refusing to interfere with the ban imposed by the state government on the film, Deshdrohi, the Bombay High Court on Monday asked the state government to give a hearing to the film’s producer and pass a fresh order by November 20.

The producer and director of the film, Kamaal Khan, had approached HC to challenge the ban imposed by the state government.

The film, in which Khan plays the protagonists, deals with the struggles of a migrant from north India in Mumbai.

Opposing Khan’s plea, assistant government pleader Niranjan Pandit said that the state government was well within its powers to impose a ban under the Bombay Cinema Regulation Act. The act allows the government to ban a film for a period of 60 days.
Khan’s lawyer Ashok Sarogi said that the film had been banned without even giving a hearing to the petitioner. HC disposed of the petition after asking the government to give the petitioners a hearing.

The home department said that they would assess the ban on the film within the next three days. RR Patil said, “A high-power committee led by additional chief secretary Chitkala Zutshi viewed the film once again. Further course of action will be decided once the committee submits its report.”

With inputs from Surendra Gangan