New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed that no coercive action is to be taken in any part of the country against Salman Khan Ventures Pvt ltd, the producer of upcoming Bollywood movie ‘Loveyatri’.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud considered the submission that the movie, slated for all India release on October 5, has been cleared by the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and despite this an FIR has been registered in Bihar and a criminal complaint is pending in Vadodara in Gujarat.
Counsel Nizam Pasha told the bench that the film was earlier named ‘Loveratri’, but it was changed to ‘Loveyatri’ because people misunderstood it with Navratri festival. The bench took note of the plea of the producer and said that no coercive action shall be taken against it. relating to the content and the name of the movie.
The bench taking note of the submissions said no FIR should be registered in relation to the film’s name, song or any of its contents and posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks.
Several private criminal complaints have been filed against the movie alleging that its name has hurt the religious sentiment of Hindus. The film which was earlier named as ‘Loveratri’ was changed to ‘Loveyatri’ by the producers keeping in mind that earlier name sounded like ‘Navratri’. The film, which is slated to release on October 5, has been cleared by the Censor Board of Film Certification
It ran into rough weather after an FIR was registered in Bihar, and a criminal complaint in Gujarat. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had opposed the earlier title ‘Loveratri’, which according to them distorted the meaning of the Hindu festival, Navratri. Following VHP protests, the actor, who is also the producer of the film, had changed the name from ‘Loveratri’ to ‘Loveyatri’. Several private criminal complaints have been filed against the movie alleging that its name has hurt the religious sentiment of Hindus.
