Padmaavat

additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta’s request to wait till the states responded and told the states that it was their “duty and obligation to maintain law and order”.

“Once Parliament has conferred the responsibility and power on a statutory board and the board has certified the film, non-exhibition of the film by states is contrary to statutory provisions,” the SC said.

Based on a 16th century poem, the movie stars Deepika Padukone as queen Padmini, or Padmavati, while Ranveer Singh plays Muslim emperor Alauddin Khilji. Protesters are upset over a rumoured romantic scene between Padukone and Singh – a charge denied by the director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Historians are divided on whether the queen existed.

Last week, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cleared the film after five modifications and a change in name – from Padmavati to Padmaavat. But protests have raged on with fringe groups warning that they wouldn’t let the film be shown anywhere in India.

“Our stand remains the same and we want a nationwide ban on the film… if the movie is released, then Rajput community will be out on the streets,” Karni Sena president Mahipal Singh Makrana said in Jaipur.

In Ujjain, Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the film’s clearance. “People are ready to sacrifice their life for a social cause and the authorities should understand this and the anger behind the agitation,” Kalvi said.

Manjushri Shaktawat, president of the Jauhar Shatrani Manch, a group representing Rajput women in Chittorgarh, said they will take out a rally on January 21 and take an oath for performing ‘Jauhar’ (self-immolation) on January 24.

In Haryana, health minister Anil Vij said he would get the verdict examined and appeal against it if there was a provision todoso.

The Rajasthan government said it will study the order and then decide. “We respect the Supreme Court’s decision,” said home minister Gulab Chand Kataria.

Madhya Pradesh home minister Bhupendra Singh said the film continued to remain banned in the state and the government would take its next step after studying the verdict. The state government has not issued any official order for banning the film so far.

Earlier in the day in the Supreme Court, the CJI disagreed with Mehta’s contention that the state could take action if there is a rumour against a majority community. “If you go by this, 60% of literature, even classical literature of India cannot be read today.” The CJI spoke about Kalidasa’s controversial act “Nala Damayanti” to make his point.

Senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for Viacom 18 and Bhansali, argued that states had no right to control content. “This is lawlessness. States have no right to control content. Today, the executive is throwing the CBFC certificate in the dustbin. It is a constitutional breakdown,” the senior counsel said.

“They must have resorted to the ban due to the law and order problems. States may have their own reasons. CBFC does not have the wherewithal to find out about the law and order problem it might lead to,” Mehta submitted. The ASG said one cannot distort history. “We can’t let someone show Mahatma Gandhi sipping whisky,” said Mehta.

But Salve quipped: “That’s not even distortion of history.” He then added that in the West, they can even make a movie ‘Jesus Christ Super Star’. Mehta replied, “Let us go by Indian standards.”