Delhi High Court Clears Release of Sunny Deol's Film 'Surya'

The Delhi High Court has ruled in favor of the release of the film 'Surya: From End to Beginning,' starring Sunny Deol, dismissing a public interest litigation that sought to block it. The court's decision allows the film to hit theaters on November 20, despite concerns raised about its portrayal of healthcare professionals. The petitioners argued that the film promotes violence against doctors and generalizes corruption in the healthcare sector. The court advised the petitioners to join existing proceedings regarding similar issues, emphasizing the importance of addressing such sensitive matters appropriately.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 5, 2026, 18:23 IST

Court Decision on Film Release

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to halt the release of the upcoming Hindi film 'Surya: From End to Beginning,' starring Sunny Deol. This ruling paves the way for the film's scheduled release in theaters on November 20. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Nitin Vasudev Sambare and Justice Sanjay Sharma, made it clear that they were not inclined to hear the PIL, as a similar issue had already been raised in another writ petition currently under consideration by a single judge.

It is important to note that on November 2, a single bench had issued notices to the authorities, requesting a response to the petition alleging that the film portrays private hospital doctors in a corrupt light and promotes violence against healthcare professionals. The next hearing for that petition is set for November 16. The division bench remarked that if the petitioners of this new PIL are also doctors, there is no justification for multiple petitions on the same issue. The court advised the petitioners to join the ongoing proceedings before the single judge and permitted them to present their objections to the authorities.

This PIL was filed by Dr. Nachiketa Bhatia and Dr. Dhruv Chauhan, who sought to prevent the film's release. The petitioners argued that the official trailer depicts physical violence against doctors as heroic and unfairly generalizes corruption in the healthcare sector. They claimed that the film could pose a threat to public law and order, thus calling for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to direct the removal or modification of objectionable scenes and dialogues.

When the bench inquired why a separate consideration was necessary when a similar petition was pending, the petitioner's lawyer responded that this is a sensitive issue and that the scope of a PIL is broader than that of a writ petition. Conversely, the CBFC's lawyer informed the court that no certificate has yet been issued for the film, and the process is still under review. He also noted that this Hindi film is not an original screenplay but a remake of a South Indian film already available in the public domain. Meanwhile, the petitioners' lawyer argued that the language used in the teaser suggests that relatives of patients might resort to violence against doctors and medical staff.