The film, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan, was blocked from being shown in the state after some groups threatened to protest its release.
The case came up in court after a man named Mahesh Reddy filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) asking for the film to be allowed to screen. A two-judge bench, made up of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan, heard the case on June 17.
The film’s release was held up because of a controversial comment made earlier by Kamal Haasan—he said that “Kannada is born out of Tamil.” This upset some people in Karnataka, leading to the backlash.
During the hearing, Justice Bhuyan made it clear that law and order must come first. He told Karnataka’s legal team that mobs can’t be allowed to control public spaces. “If someone says something you don’t like, respond with words, not threats. This is not how things should work,” he said.
The court scheduled the next hearing for Thursday and asked the Karnataka government to file their official response by tomorrow. Since the State’s lawyer mentioned that the producer had already taken the matter to the High Court, the bench said they would consider moving the case directly to the Supreme Court.
Justice Manmohan emphasized that any film approved by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has the legal right to be shown, and it’s the government’s duty to make sure that happens. He added, “We’re not saying people have to watch it—just that it must be allowed to release. Fear of violence can’t be a reason to block it.”
Justice Bhuyan also criticized the Karnataka High Court for reportedly asking Kamal Haasan to apologize, saying that’s not the court’s role. He pointed out how unfair it is that one person’s comment can cause this much disruption, and suggested that instead of threats, public debate should be encouraged. “Let people disagree with him publicly—issue statements, have discussions. Why resort to threats?” he said. In the end, the bench ordered the case be moved from the Karnataka High Court to the Supreme Court. The matter will now be heard on June 19.
