'What About Creative Freedom?': Bombay High Court On Kangana Ranaut's Film Emergency, Asks CBFC To Decide On Release

Bombay High Court on Thursday (19 September) directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to decide on the release of Kangana Ranaut's movie Emergency by 25 September.

Earlier on 4 September, the court passed an order directing the CBFC to decide on whether to release the movie by 18 September but the decision was not taken because the matter was referred to the revising committee of the CBFC.

However, the court has now urged the CBFC to have the courage to say so if it does not want to release the film. "We will appreciate the stand of the CBFC. Don't be a fence sitter," Justice Burgess Colabawalla.

The two-judge bench of Justices Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla emphasised creative freedom and the freedom of speech and expression while hearing the plea filed by Zee Studios.

"We will decide the issue even if you say that the film should not be released. Have that courage to say that the film should not be released," the bench told the CBFC.

"This issue of objecting release of films needs to stop otherwise what about the creative freedom and the freedom of speech and expression in our country?" it noted as per LiveLaw.

Justice Colabawalla also denied any political angle by saying why the BJP ruling in Haryana would want to thwart the film made by their own member of parliament (MP) Kangana Ranaut.

"Why do people get affected like this? My community (Justice Colabawall is a Parsi) is made fun of in almost every film. We laugh along and don't consider it to be against our community," he added.