The Delhi High Court has ruled that films which mock religion, spread hatred, or threaten social harmony should not be given certification in a country that is both diverse and secular.
The court made the observation while dismissing a plea by filmmaker Shyam Bharteey, who had challenged the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) decision to deny clearance to his Hindi film Masoom Kaatil.
“In a diverse, secular society, certification cannot be granted to a film that ridicules religions, incites hatred, or threatens social harmony,” Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said in the order.
The judge noted that the film encouraged people to take the law into their own hands, which could weaken trust in the justice system and normalize violence. “The exhibition of unchecked gore content as shown in the subject matter film is far from promoting social values and would instead brutalize minds and normalize lawlessness,” the court observed.
The film reportedly contained violent scenes involving humans and animals, insulting remarks against religions, caste-based comments, and derogatory references to communities. Justice Arora warned that combining such “dangerous ideas” with scenes of killing and cannibalism could disturb public peace and push others toward violent acts.
The filmmaker had asked for the film to be released with an adult rating and some cuts but had not challenged the CBFC’s findings. The court, however, agreed with the CBFC that the violence was “excessive, gruesome, and without redeeming value,” making it unfit for public viewing.
The court also expressed concern over minors being portrayed as lead characters involved in violent and lawless acts, saying this could corrupt young audiences and glamorize juvenile crime, going against guidelines meant to protect children and vulnerable viewers.
