Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar will release on Friday, as the last remaining hurdle in its path, a petition by someone claiming to be Sanjay Gandhi’s daughter, has just been removed by the Supreme Court.
The film had run into controversy from its beginnings. Among its biggest problems were claims by the Congress party of political motivation and misrepresentation, censorship and certification issues, and a petition to stay its release by someone who claimed to be Sanjay Gandhi’s daughter.
Early this week, however, the CBFC Revising Committee finally cleared the film for release, after a compromise on cuts had been reached between them and Bhandarkar.
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Now, DNA reports that the Supreme Court has also allowed the film to release, dismissing the petition by Priya Singh Paul, who had sent the filmmaker, and the I&B Ministry, a legal notice. The Bombay High Court had earlier dismissed Priya’s petition, in which she claimed to be Sanjay Gandhi’s daughter, and claimed that the film was “full of concocted facts”, and “without accurate or sufficient historic data”. However, the petitioner moved the Supreme Court, and asked that the censor certificate given to the film be revoked.
In his representation, Madhur Bhandarkar said that he had agreed to the cuts and changes as requested by the CBFC Revising committee.
Indian Express reports that the Supreme Court bench hearing the case observed that the film is an “artistic expression” within the parameters of law and there was no justification to stall its release.