Madras High Court Upholds Screening of Dhurandhar 2 Amid Legal Challenges

Legal Controversy Surrounding Dhurandhar 2

The film Dhurandhar The Revenge, featuring Ranveer Singh, has found itself embroiled in a legal dispute in Tamil Nadu. As assembly elections are taking place in the state, a petition was submitted to the Madras High Court requesting the film's removal from theaters until the elections concluded. The court heard the case on April 10, with a bench led by Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, who issued their ruling on the same day, clarifying the film's status in the state.

Court's Ruling on the Petition

Madras High Court Dismisses Plea

The Madras High Court rejected all requests to prohibit screenings of Dhurandhar 2 during the election period. The judges emphasized that there is no law in India preventing a film from being shown while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in effect. They also highlighted a significant flaw in the petitioner's case: the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had issued a certificate for the film, which was never contested. The bench firmly stated that without a challenge to the CBFC certificate, there were no legal grounds to halt the film's exhibition.

Details of the Petition

What Did The Plea State?

The petitioner contended that Dhurandhar 2 breached the Model Code of Conduct, citing Chapter VII, Clause 4, which restricts the ruling party from utilizing mass media to promote its achievements at public expense during elections. The claim was that the film glorifies the central government's efforts in counter-terrorism and anti-money laundering. Another lawyer argued that the film incites war propaganda against Pakistan and has exacerbated communal tensions in northern India. However, the court found these arguments unconvincing, ruling that the petitioners did not challenge the CBFC certificate, which is the only legitimate legal avenue to prevent a film's release. Consequently, the court dismissed the petitions entirely. Dhurandhar 2 will continue to be screened in Tamil Nadu without any interruptions. This spy thriller, directed by R Madhavan, also stars Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi, and was released globally on March 19 in multiple languages including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.