Court to rule on December 19 if it can hear suit against Aamir Khan

Mumbai: A Mumbai civil court on Wednesday said it will pronounce its order on December 19 on whether it has the jurisdiction to hear a suit seeking a ban on the release of Aamir Khan-starrer PK on grounds of “obscenity.”

The film is slated for release this Friday.

Petitioner Hemant Patil has sought deletion of “objectionable” scenes in the film before the release and a ban on the publicity poster which showed the actor standing on railway tracks in the buff with only a transistor hiding his modesty, describing it as “obscene and vulgar.”

The defendants- Censor Board, Aamir Khan, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani -had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit.

The court on Wednesday heard arguments from both the sides on the issue of jurisdiction and reserved its order till December 19, according to petitioner’s counsel Mr. R.N. Kachave.

The defendants argued the civil court had no jurisdiction to hear the suit and the proper forum was the Appellate Tribunal which hears all disputes pertaining to the Central Board of Film Certification.

Counsel for the plaintiff, however, contended the civil court may not have the jurisdiction to hear the matter against Censor Board but it can certainly entertain a suit against the director and producer of the film.

Aamir Khan, who hosts the popular TV show Satyamev Jayate, has a good and clean public image, but by appearing “nude” in the poster he has committed “a shameful” act, Mr. Patil contended.

The Supreme Court had recently dismissed a PIL which sought a ban on the poster on the same ground. “If you don’t like, then don’t watch the film,” the judges had said.