Court curbs sought on 'Shanghai' film's release

A petition was filed Monday in the Delhi High Court for an interim stay on the June 8 release of Bollywood film "Shanghai" until its controversial song "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" was deleted.

The Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena's allegation that the song used insulting and outraging words would come up for hearing June 6.

The petitioner alleged that the song "hurt many people who are patriotic in nature".

Seeking a complete ban on the song from the political thriller, starring Emraan Hashmi and Abhay Deol, the petitioner asked the central government and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take steps to ban the sale of audio CDs of the film.

"Pass an order directing respondent 1 (ministry of information and broadcasting) and respondent 2 (CBFC) to stop the screening of movie 'Shanghai' in any cinema hall across India, if it contains the song 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'," said the public interest litigation.

The song showed that its writer had no respect for India, it said.

The petitioner sought a "complete ban on playing/broadcasting of the song on TV channels, radio, internet portals or any other platform", the petition said.

Organisation Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena, filing the petition alleged that the song of the movie "Shanghai" directed by Dibakar Banerjee had depicted India as the land of the homeless, misery and disgust.

"The song has been written with clear intentions to outrage the national honour and pride," it said.