hc to hear petition against release of hindi film based on malegaon blast

Bombay High Court Upcoming Hindi Movie Match Fixing Bombay High Court Upcoming Hindi Movie Match Fixing. It is scheduled to release on December 15 and is said to be based on the events of the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts. Lt Col Prasad Purohit, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, filed a petition claiming that the film’s portrayal could damage his reputation as a respected army officer. The petition also states that the lawsuit is about a very sensitive issue and cannot be taken carelessly as “freedom of art”.

Purohit’s lawyer, Dhritiman Joshi, argued before Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan that the film, purportedly depicting Purohit’s life, should be reviewed urgently as it is nearing its release. The film’s trailer and promotional posters show a military officer in uniform resembling Purohit, who served in the military intelligence unit of the Indian Army.

Purohit, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2017, had earlier argued against media portrayal of the case, leading to the court ordering him to limit media discussion until the conclusion of the trial. Sameer Kulkarni, another accused in the Malegaon blasts, also challenged the release of the film citing a previous order against media debate on the case. A third petitioner, Nadeem Khan, claimed that the film’s trailer reinforces harmful stereotypes against Muslims, alleging that it suggests hostility towards India by Muslims and promotes false narratives. The court is expected to hear the cases on Tuesday morning. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) also cited the earlier court order, urging it to take an appropriate decision on the release of the film.