Justice PV Kunhikrishnan noted that according to the filmmakers, the characters of Churuli are merely using a colloquial language that exists in the imaginary village which happens to be filthy and obscene language.
The Court opined that it cannot dictate what slang a character in a film should use unless the film violates any existing law.
“This court invoking the powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India cannot dictate the filmmaker to use the Valluvanadan slang Malayalam or Kannur slang Malayalam or Trivandrum slang Malayalam in the movie. This court can only verify whether exhibition of Churuli film violates any existing law enacted to ensure public order, decency or morality. While deciding the same, the artistic freedom of the filmmaker must be kept in mind“, the Court said in its order.
The Court nevertheless directed the State Police Chief to constitute a team to watch Churuli on the OTT platform to ascertain whether there is any violation of law.
The team must watch the movie within the next three days and verify whether there is any criminal offence or statutory violation made out, the Court ordered.
The team is expected to file a report before the Court regarding the movie within three weeks time.
The matter will be taken up next on January 31.
The State Police Chief was impleaded as party to the case.
Source: Barandbench
