Hamare Baarah: Bombay HC allows release, makers agree to delete objectionable portions
Hamare Baarah: The Bombay high court observed that the film does not offend Muslim religious sentiments or misrepresent the Quran's teachings.
The Bombay high court on Wednesday allowed the release of controversial film 'Hamare Baarah' after makers agreed to delete objectionable portions, Live Law reported.
A division bench comprising Justice BP Colabawalla and Justice Firdosh Pooniwalla passed the order permitting the film’s release a day after they observed that it does not offend the religious sentiments of the Muslim community or distort the teachings of the Quran. The court observed that the film, which has been a topic of widespread discussion due to its narrative on overpopulation, is in fact aimed at upliftment of women.
Read: Hamare Baarah movie does not offend Muslims’ religious sentiments: HC
Annu Kapoor-starrer ‘Hamare Baarah’ movie had courted controversy with its first trailer, which the court also found objectionable. After watching Hamare Baarah, the bench said that all such objectionable scenes have been deleted from the movie.
"The movie is in fact for the upliftment of women. The movie has a Maulana misinterpreting the Quran and in fact one Muslim man objects to the same in the scene. So this shows that people should apply their mind and not blindly follow such Maulanas," the high court said.
The court also observed that a ₹5 lakh fine on the filmmakers for releasing the trailer with uncertified scenes would be appropriate, and directed that the amount be donated to a charity of the petitioner’s choice.
“Violation was their vis-a-vis the trailer. So, you will have to pay something towards charity of the petitioner’s choice. Cost will have to be paid. This litigation has got the film so much unpaid publicity,” the court said.
Hamare Baarah was initially scheduled for release on June 7, and later on June 14. The new release date is still not known.
The film has been jointly produced by Birender Bhagat, Ravi S Gupta, Sanjay Nagpal, and Sheo Balak Singh, and directed by Kamal Chandra.'
The film stars Annu Kapoor, Manoj Joshi, and Paritosh Tripathi.
