Suit against Aamir Khan’s ‘PK’ maintainable: Court

 

Mumbai: A Mumbai court today framed issues in a civil suit against Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, besides producer and director of film ‘PK’ starring him for “vulgar and obscene” content after ruling it had the jurisdiction to hear the case. The court, however, said the suit was not maintainable against the Central Board of Film Certification which had also been made a respondent. The matter has been posted for January 22 for evidence.

 

Petitioner Hemant Patil had sought deletion of “objectionable” scenes in the film before the release and a ban on the publicity poster which showed the actor standing on railway tracks in the buff with only a transistor hiding his modesty, describing it as “obscene and vulgar”. The movie was released today. The defendants — Censor Board, Aamir Khan, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani — had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit which they contended could be heard by the Appellate Tribunal which heard all disputes pertaining to CBFC.

 

Counsel for the plaintiff, R N Kachave, however, argued the civil court may not have the jurisdiction to hear the matter against Censor Board but it can certainly entertain a suit against the film’s director and producer. Civil Judge M S Sharma agreed with his contention and framed issues today on maintainability of the suit. Khan, who hosts popular TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’, has a good and clean public image, but by appearing “nude” in the poster he has committed “a shameful” act, Patil contended.

 

The Supreme Court had recently dismissed a PIL which sought a ban on the poster on the same ground. “If you don’t like, then don’t watch the film,” the judges had said.