Chennai: Amid the raging row over the ban on Kamal Haasan`s "Vishwaroopam" for its alleged anti-Muslim content, the Madras High Court on Monday directed Central Government to consider a plea for withdrawal of `U` certificate to an already running Tamil film that was also deemed offensive to the community.
"It is for the Central government to consider the merits or otherwise of the contentions raised by the petitioner," a bench comprising Justices R Banumathi and KK Sasidharan, which had watched the actor Vijay starrer "Thuppakki", said.
The bench was disposing of a petition filed by Abdul Rahim, General Secretary of a Muslim outfit seeking withdrawal of the U certificate to the movie from which several scenes deemed offensive to Muslims were deleted after its release during Deepavali in November last.
Acknowledging that the producer had every right to set the story or theme of a film, the bench said, "However, it cannot be said that he had got unfettered freedom to exhibit any kind of film notwithstanding its adverse effect on the society."
"In case it is made out that the exhibition of the film would result in inciting violence, the same would be a reasonable ground to deny certificate of unrestricted public exhibition," the bench said.
The cuts in the film were effected after Tamil Nadu Home Secretary convened a meeting of both sides following protests by some Muslim outfits who contended that their community was portrayed in poor light in the context of terror.
The order on "Thuppakki" came even as another bench is hearing a petition challenging the Tamil Nadu Government`s ban on screening `Vishwaroopam` in the wake of protests by Muslim outfits.
PTI
