The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the makers of upcoming movie Jayeshbhai Jordaar to insert in certain scenes a disclaimer concerning the illegality of the practice of sex determination of a foetus. A Bench of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri also gave its nod to the release of the Ranveer Singh-starrer film. It asked Yash Raj Films to insert a prominent disclaimer in two scenes.
“We appreciate the message but you have to tell people that it is an offence...If you are sending a message, send it loud,” it said while hearing a petition seeking deletion of certain scenes from the movie.
The Bench also watched the relevant portion of the film which is scheduled to be released on May 13 during the course of the hearing.
Counsel for the filmmaker, advocate Jayant Mehta, said the disclaimer will be inserted prominently in the concerning scenes in English as well as Hindi.
Mr. Mehta stated that the movie begins with a disclaimer which takes the entire screen and the story is “about a social evil and blind faith in certain practices” and its message has to be seen from its context.
Advocate Pawan Prakash Pathak, appearing for petitioner ‘Youth Against Crime’, argued that certain scenes in the film’s trailer promoted sex selection techniques which are a violation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act.
“The object of the Act is prohibition. But that does not mean that the ill from society has disappeared. Ill is still there... Look at the context in which it is coming. It is showing to what extent people go to determine all this. There is nothing in this now...They are making a joke of the people who are doing all this. Appreciate the message that is sent,” the Bench said.
