The
Supreme Court on Friday directed
West Bengal
government to resume an unhindered screening of
Anik Dutta’s controversial social satire ‘
Bhobishyoter Bhoot
’. The film, released on 15 February, was withdrawn from multiplexes and single-screen theatres across Kolkata within a day. Theatre owners only cited instructions from a ‘higher authority’ to pull down the film from theatres.
On Friday, hearing the matter, Justice DY Chandrachud, passed the latest order issuing a notice to the West Bengal government regarding the incident. The apex court has directed the state chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police to take all the required steps to resume the ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’s public screening in theatres.
The withdrawal of ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ subsequently ignited protests from a large portion of the film and theatre fraternity in Kolkata. Even a rally demanding the film’s re-release, carried out on 10 March, witnessed city’s intelligentsia and the public joining hands supporting director Anik Dutta.