The Supreme Court on Thursday closed a PIL seeking release of Tamil feature film Thug Life in Karnataka.
The Bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Manmohan recorded in its order the submission of the State of Karnataka that it did not impose any ban on the movie.
It further assured the Court that it would ‘full protection and security’ for the screening of the film if the producers decided to release it in the Karnataka.
During hearing, the Bench made several comments, expressing disappointment with the trend of artistic creations being stalled due to protests by groups who claimed that their sentiments were hurt.
It said a movie could not be stopped merely because of an opinion.
The exhibition of a film which was duly certified by the CBFC could not be stalled due to such protests, it added.
The PIL was filed by one Mahesh Reddy, seeking directions to allow the screening of ‘Thug Life’, which was not released in Karnataka after certain groups issued threats against its exhibition following the remarks of Kamal Haasan, the lead actor and one of the producers of the film, that Kannada was born out of Tamil.
Earlier on June 17, the top court of the country told the State that it could not allow mobs and vigilante groups to take over.