New Delhi, 17 September (H.S.): The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to consider a proposal submitted by the makers of ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, seeking permission to replace the song ‘Shoorveer’ in a particular scene of the film with background music. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya directed the censor board to consider the proposal within one week. The matter will next be heard on September 24.

During Thursday’s hearing, counsel appearing for the film’s producers said that the ‘Shoorveer’ song is used during a fight between two groups in the film’s climax. He argued that the song cannot be compared with Maharana Pratap. The court, however, observed that prima facie, the song did not appear appropriate. The court remarked that society had reached a situation where violence was being glorified.

The court clarified that, without making any observations on the merits of the petition, it wanted the petitioner to make a representation before the Central government, as the issue concerns art and any decision should be taken by the competent authority. The petitioner, however, submitted that the film would arrive on an OTT platform within four weeks, after which the petition would have little relevance.

During the hearing, the court took note of the fact that the film’s producer had itself approached the censor board seeking permission to use background music in place of the ‘Shoorveer’ song. Counsel for the censor board said that the film’s producer had filed an application under Rule 31 of the Cinematograph Rules seeking permission to replace the song with background music. The censor board’s counsel said a decision on the application would be taken within one week. The court thereafter adjourned the hearing for a week.

On September 16, the court had observed that the song had been written to pay tribute to Maharana Pratap. The court had asked J.K. Bhardwaj, appearing for the film’s producer Excel Entertainment Private Limited, whether playing the song in that particular scene left his “conscience satisfied”.

The petition seeks directions for the removal of the ‘Shoorveer’ song from a particular scene of the film or for its replacement with another song. It also seeks the framing of appropriate guidelines governing the use in films of songs associated with historically and culturally significant personalities.

The petition has been filed by Prashant Kumar Singh, a graduate of Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The petitioner has argued that the use of such songs should not result in the legacies of historical personalities being associated with fictional criminals or anti-social activities. The petition also calls for a balance between the right to freedom of artistic and creative expression and concerns arising from the use of the song in the film.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar