New Delhi: The Delhi High Court directed Friday the Centre to treat as representation a PIL seeking stay on the streaming of a Netflix movie, Gunjan Saxena – The Kargil Girl. The PIL alleges that the movie depicts the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a bad light. “The shoulders of the Armed Forces are broad enough to protect their reputation. If the IAF has any objections let them take it up,” the Delhi High Court said.
A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan disposed of the plea by an NGO against the film starring Janhvi Kapoor.
“Why this kind of sensitivity to a movie or a book? Are our institutions so weak?” the bench asked.
The bench also questioned the legal basis for claiming that IAF has to be shown in a good light and not otherwise. It directed the Centre to decide the representation in accordance with the law, rules, regulations and government policy applicable to the case.
Also read: The lessons Janhvi Kapoor learnt while portraying the role of IAF pilot Gunjan Saxena
The NGO, ‘Justice For Rights Foundation’, had sought directions to the movie’s producers. It wanted to modify or delete the allegedly objectionable dialogues and scenes in the movie, which portrays the IAF in poor light.
The NGO alleged that some scenes and dialogues in the movie are factually incorrect. They are misleading and portray an inappropriate work culture to glorify the screen character of the former Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena.
The NGO had also claimed that the IAF and some of their officers have been shown as gender biased. It told the court that as per the initial understanding, Dharma Production, which produced the film, had promised to represent the IAF authentically. Dharma Production had also said it will make all efforts to ensure that the film helps inspire the next generation of IAF officers.
To this the bench said that if the IAF was aggrieved by it, let it take action. “The IAF is alive to the situation. Let them take action,” bench said.
