‘Hamare Baarah’ film gets green light for release on June 7 by court

A two-judge vacation bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday granted its assent to the release of the 'Hamare Baarah' film until further orders. After the court's approval, the film will hit the cinema halls on Friday, June 7.

The court’s decision came with instructions for a committee of three members, including at least one Muslim member, who will watch the film and report back to the court.

In its directions, the court said that it was done "only with a view to balancing the equities" and the court felt that “the film may also be required to be viewed to draw any conclusion with regard to the rival contentions."

The bench of Justices Kamal Khata and Rajesh Patil added that this was as "predicted" as a second round in the matter.

Notably, the film is about a man-- Manzoor Ali Khan Sanjari-- who, despite losing his first wife during childbirth, continues to have more children with his second wife, now pregnant with her sixth. When doctors warn that the pregnancy risks her life, Khan refuses an abortion. His daughter Alfiya, determined to save her stepmother, takes her father to court to demand an abortion. The film explores whether Alfiya can convince her father and the court, and questions the entrenched patriarchy in their society.

Earlier on Wednesday, a two-judge bench of the court, comprising Justices NR Borkar and Kamal Khata, postponed the release after hearing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

In the hearing, the court said that it would hear the issue again on June 7, Friday at 9 am and until then it "recalls the injunction on the release of the film and the film is allowed to be released until further orders of the Court."

The court will now hear the issue again at 9 am on June 7 as the first show, according to the film producers, is at 10 am on Friday.

Representing the producers, advocate Rahul Narichania, said that the injunction order passed exparte, if continued, would cause the producers severe financial loss as the film's release is already scheduled.

He further submitted that the film is released only after certification and reviewed by two committees. Moreover, the film was exhibited at the Cannes festival on May 18. Narichania further submitted that there have been a substantial number of tickets already sold by theatres all across the country.

The bench said that on Friday, in any event, if the court finds after hearing the parties that the further exhibition of the film is to be injuncted, the same will be considered on June 7.

The court in its order said, "It is clarified that the release of the film is now allowed, and shall be subject to further orders of this Court."

The bench, however, directed the film producers to pull down the teaser or trailer displayed on platforms such as YouTube, Book My Show etc. The bench directed that those videos be removed from circulation/exhibition on social media platforms by all the concerned parties until further orders of the Court.