NEW DEHLI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over Hindi film Race 2 following a petition that it showed nudity and vulgarity. The movie is a sequel to 2008 film Race.
“Please think where the film industry is going. You are teaching indiscipline to children,” a division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice VK Jain said.
They were hearing a Public-interest Litigation alleging that the film was vulgar and showed nude scenes. It sought a ban on the movie.
The court’s observation came after the counsel appearing for the producers and director of Race 2 said the Central Film Certification Board (CBFC) had already cleared its release.
The court sought response from the ministry of information and broadcasting, CBFC and Delhi government and posted the matter for Friday.
The petition was filed by social worker Teena Sharma. The court had earlier directed the central government to consider the plea against Race 2 and take appropriate action within a fortnight. Sharma moved the court again after the government failed to act.
She said she was deeply hurt by the nude scenes and dialogues with double meaning after viewing the film in a theatre.
Challenging the UA certification given to the film, the plea said, “The film has been screened in 50 countries and it has been graded as an adult movie in 40 countries while here it had been granted UA certification.”
“The contents of the film are highly objectionable and therefore the film has got A certification for screening in the US and Britain.” The petition accused the movie of degrading women and displaying them as commodities.
UA certification is given to films which children above 12 years are allowed to see under parental guidance.
Controversies aside, film-maker Abbas-Mustan’s action thriller Race 2 has become the first film of the year to enter the INR1 billion club. Made at a budget of INR600 million, the film came out on January 25 and earned over a billion in two weeks of its release.
After minting money at the Indian box office, the film also received an overwhelming response in the overseas market. In its opening weekend, the movie collected $1 million in the Gulf market and $1 million in the US and Britain.
Race 2 features actors such as John Abraham, Saif Ali Khan, Ameesha Patel, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2013.
Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.