New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has refused to permit the release of the Hindi film “Masoom Kaatil”, stating that in a diverse and secular society, a film that ridicules religions, incites hatred, or threatens social harmony cannot be certified for public exhibition.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, on September 10, dismissed a plea challenging the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) decision to withhold permission for the film’s release.
The court noted that the film appeared to glorify taking the law into one’s own hands, which could undermine public trust in the legal system and convey that violence is an acceptable substitute for following the law.
The judge observed that the examining committee had found the film’s content to be excessively violent and gruesome, with no redeeming elements, making it unfit for public viewing. “Unchecked gore content as shown in the subject matter film is far from promoting social values and would instead brutalize minds and normalize lawlessness,” the court said.
The order highlighted that the film included protagonists acting with impunity, combining dangerous ideas with graphic scenes of killing and cannibalism, which could threaten public peace and encourage violent behavior.
The court also pointed out that the film contained insulting references to communities, derogatory remarks about religions, and caste- and community-based statements, all of which are prohibited under laws that bar content likely to promote communal disharmony or offend religious sentiments.
While acknowledging freedom of artistic expression, the court said it cannot override statutory restrictions. “Article 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression) of the Constitution itself subjects Freedom of Speech and Expression to reasonable restrictions on grounds of decency, morality, public order, and incitement to offence. The content of the subject matter film, as discussed above, traverses all these prohibitions. The subject matter film stands as a clear example of a film which is fundamentally incompatible with the guidelines,” the ruling added.