CROSSWORD ENTERTAINMENT PRIVATE ... Vs. CENTRAL BOARD OF FILM ...

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner impugns the order dated 24.11.2016 passed by the Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) and also the Order-in- Original dated 14.06.2016 passed by the Central Board of Film Certification declining to issue a Certificate for exhibition of the film entitled "Mohalla Assi" and further seeks a direction to respondent No.1 to give the requisite Certificate to the Film "Mohalla Assi" for exhibition without any cuts/modifications/excisions.

(2.) As per the petitioner, the film "Mohalla Assi" is based on a popular Hindi Novel "Kashi Ka Assi" of Shri Kashinath Singh. It is stated to be a satire on the globalization of the pilgrimage city Varanasi (Banaras) and the challenges that Varanasi and its culture may face due to sweeping changes brought in by liberalization. It is contended that "Assi" is a ghat in Varanasi (Banaras) on the banks of Ganges River and the Film is based in a famous and historical "Mohalla" (locality) by the ghat, on the southern end of Banaras.

(3.) It is contended that Shri Kashinath Singh has been granted one of the highest literary awards, i.e. Sahitya Academy Award in the year 2012 and is one of the most respected names in Modern Hindi Literature. Shri Kashinath Singh was a professor in Head of the Department in Banaras Hindu University and is familiar with the cultural milieu of Banaras. The novel "Kashi Ka Assi" was first published in Literary magazine Hans as a series of five stories.