Earlier on June 17, the court had criticised the Karnataka government for failing to prevent threats against cinema halls.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Karnataka government to take immediate steps to prevent any disruption to the screening of Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life, following reports of protests and threats by pro-Kannada groups over the actor’s past comments on the Kannada language.
A bench comprising Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan stressed that freedom of expression and artistic performance must be protected and said that it does not want a situation where “someone’s statement hurts sentiments, and the movie is stalled from releasing, a stand-up show is cancelled or an artist is stopped from reciting a poem.”
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The directive came during a hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by M Mahesh Reddy, who had approached the apex court after Thug Life failed to release in Karnataka despite no formal ban being announced.
Responding to the plea, the Karnataka government assured the court that it had not imposed any restrictions on the film’s release and that adequate security would be provided to theatres screening the movie. It also informed the court that necessary arrangements would be made to ensure law and order, should the producers choose to screen the film in the state.
With this assurance on record, the Supreme Court closed the PIL, stating that no further guidelines or directions were necessary.
Referring to previous incidents of “mob vigilantism,” the court firmly said such actions “cannot be permitted” and warned the state to contain any “divisive element” that could threaten the release of the film.
Earlier on June 17, the court had criticised the Karnataka government for failing to prevent threats against cinema halls, remarking that “mob and vigilantes cannot be allowed to take over the streets.”
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The row stems from Kamal Haasan’s past remarks allegedly claiming that the Kannada language “originated” from Tamil, which triggered protests from pro-Kannada groups. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) had reportedly written to Haasan demanding an apology over the statement, raising concerns that the actor’s comments were offensive to the Kannada-speaking public.
Despite the controversy, the court affirmed that individual sentiments cannot override the constitutional right to free speech and creative expression, urging the state to take proactive measures to maintain public order without compromising artistic freedoms.
