HC issues notices on petition to withhold 'Aami' release

Kochi: A petition was filed in the High Court on Tuesday alleging that Kamal-directed Malayalam film "Aami" based on controversial writer late Madhavikutty, was sending a message favouring love jihad.

Madhavikutty had converted to Islam and took the name of Kamala Suraiya.

In his petition, lawyer K P Ramachandran sought a direction to the Censor Board to ensure that the upcoming movie would be certified only after making sure that it picturised the real life of Madhavikutty.

"The film (Aami) was directed by omitting the real life incidents of Madhavikutty, with a view to justify love jihad.Such a film comes to the fore in the wake of such cases (of love jihad) pending before the apex court and the NIA investigating such cases," the petition said.

The petitioner also alleged that the movie was made to re-write the history and twist the narrative according to the directors whims and fancies under the guise of freedom of expression.

Even if "Aami" is exhibited in cinema theatres, the wrong and contradictory picturisation of Madhavikutty and justifying the forceful religious conversion would certainly inject a wrong message into the minds of audiences, he added.

"Aami" is based on the autobiography of Kamala Surayya, Ente Katha (My Story). She wrote under a pseudonym Kamala Das in English.

The petitioner requested the court to summon the script and blue print of the film, preview it and allow screening only after the parts that hurt religious sentiments are removed.

The High Court has asked notices to be sent to the Central Government, Central Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, and the film censor board. The Bench also decided to issue notices to respondents, the film's director Kamal and the producers.

(With PTI input)