Members of the Baloch community have taken legal action against the makers of the Bollywood film "Dhurandhar," approaching the Gujarat High Court with a plea for intervention. The petitioners argue that a specific line of dialogue in the movie is derogatory, promotes hostile stereotyping, and amounts to hate speech against their community.
Petitioners Seek Legal Action and Dialogue Removal
The petition has been filed by Yasin Baloch from Gandhinagar and Ayubkhan Baloch from Kanodar in Banaskantha district. They have explicitly sought direction from the court to initiate appropriate legal proceedings against the film's director, Aditya Dhar (listed as Respondent No. 4), for including what they term as hate speech targeting the Baloch people.
Their primary objection is to a dialogue delivered by a character played by actor Sanjay Dutt. The contentious line translates to: "You can trust a crocodile, but not a Baloch." The petitioners assert that this statement is stigmatizing and unfairly singles out their community.
Demands for CBFC Review and Exhibition Restraint
The legal move outlines several key demands from the authorities. Firstly, the petitioners have requested the modification of the certificate granted to the film by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). They want this done only after the dialogue is permanently deleted or muted from all versions and platforms where the film is available.
Furthermore, they have urged the court to direct the CBFC to conduct a fresh review of "Dhurandhar" and ensure strict compliance with constitutional and statutory guidelines. The plea also calls for an immediate restraint on any further exhibition, broadcast, streaming, or circulation of the film containing the disputed dialogue.
Constitutional Violations and Precedents Cited
The petition contends that the dialogue arbitrarily subjects the Baloch community to hostile stereotyping, thereby violating the fundamental guarantee of equality before the law. It argues that despite the objectionable and unconstitutional nature of the content, the film was cleared for public exhibition, causing continuing harm to the community's dignity.
"Freedom of speech does not protect speech that demeans, vilifies, or stigmatises a community. The impugned dialogue squarely falls within the category of hate speech," the petition states. To bolster their case, the petitioners referenced past instances of judicial intervention where objectionable material was removed from films like "Jolly LLB," "Padmavat," and "Adipurush."
The matter has been listed for its initial hearing on Wednesday. The outcome of this case could set a significant precedent regarding the boundaries of creative expression and the protection of communities from alleged hate speech in Indian cinema.
