"Aquarium": Delhi HC directs concerned authorities to decide on representation

The Delhi High Court directed authorities concerned to decide on a representation made to the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, to halt the release of the Malayalam movie 'Aquarium', reports Live Law. On Monday, a division bench constituting Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued the order on a plea filed by a Catholic nun urging an issuance for directions to stop the release of the movie, citing the film has blasphemous content and would hurt the religious sentiments of the Christian community.

The plea alleges that the film "depicts sexual relationships of nuns with priests", "unnatural sexual relations", "emotional relationship with Jesus Christ", and falsely depicts the religious life of the clergy. The plea sought the Indian government and Saina Infotainments Pvt Ltd- which runs the OTT platform 'Saina Play' where the film is planned to release- to take steps against the film's release.

The movie, originally completed in 2013 and titled 'Pithavinum Puthranum Parisudhathmavinum' (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit), later retitled dropping the "Holy Spirit" part. The Central Board of Film Certification denied certification citing violation of censorship standards, which ended up dropping public screening plans in 2015. In the end, the producers retitled it again as 'Aquarium' and decided to stream it on the OTT platform Saina Play.

Recently, Kerala High Court also stayed the certification granted to the film for two weeks, taking cognisance of a similar plea.