After Ghooskhor Pandat, Yadav Ji Ki Love Story Sparks Outrage; SC Turns Down Ban Plea

Following the controversy surrounding Manoj Bajpayee’s Ghooskhor Pandat, another film, Yadav Ji Ki Love Story, has landed in trouble over its title. The chief of the Vishwa Yadav Parishad (VHP) moved the Supreme Court and sought a ban on the film unless its title was changed. The Supreme Court heard the plea on Wednesday and refused to stall the film’s release, describing it as a work of fiction.

Supreme Court Rejects Ban Plea

A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan dismissed the petition filed by the VHP chief, who argued that the film portrayed the Yadav community in a negative light. The petitioner also contended that the depiction of a woman in the film was not acceptable.

ALSO READ| SC Disposes Of Petition As ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ Makers Pull Old Title, Promotions

The court, however, observed that the title did not cast the community in a bad light. “The contention is that the name of the film is to be changed. We fail to understand how the title of a film can reflect the community in a bad light. The title of the film nowhere has no adjective or any word that portrays the Yadav community in a bad light.”

The apex court further termed the apprehensions “wholly unfounded” and mentioned its earlier order in the Ghooskhor Pandat matter.

“The expression ‘ghooskhor’ in English means corrupt. Therefore, a negative meaning was being attached to the community,” the court added, before dismissing the petition: “In the instant case, no such negativity is attached to the Yadav community. Neither of the reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2) (reasonable restrictions to freedom of speech and expression) under the Constitution is attracted. The name in no way portrays the Yadav community in bad light or any negative way. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed.”

ALSO READ| Salim Khan Health Update: Daisy Shah Says Salman Khan’s Father Is Under Observation At Lilavati

Yadav Ji Ki Love Story is scheduled to release in theatres on February 27 and is set to clash with Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond.

‘Don’t Vilify Or Degenerate Any Community’

The Supreme Court also issued a strong directive for public offices, urging them not to vilify or demean any community. 

“It is constitutionally impermissible for anybody, be it the State or non-State actors, through any medium, such as speeches, memes, cartoons, visual arts, etc. to vilify and denigrate any community,” the Supreme Court observed. 

ALSO READ| Rashmika Mandanna Vijay Deverakonda Wedding: How Much Is The Net Worth Of The Power Couple?

The apex court added, “It will be violative of the Constitution to target a community on the basis of religion, language, caste, or region, by whosoever he or she may be. This is particularly true for public figures in high constitutional office who have taken a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution.”