ANAND PATVARDHAN Vs. DIRECTOR GENERAL DIRECTORATE GENERAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) RESPONDENTS waive service. By consent Rule is taken up for final hearing".

(2.) THIS petition seeks a writ of certiorari or any other appropriate writ, order or direction quashing the decision taken on July 11, 2003 by the Prasar bharati Board refusing to telecast a documentary film entitled "father, Son and Holy War" on Doordarshan. As a consequence the petitioner asks for a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction directing the respondents to screen the said documentary film on Doordarshan at a prime time slot.

(3.) THE petitioner is a well known film maker. The documentary films made by the petitioner in the past were acclaimed at national and international level. The petitioner produced in 1995 a documentary film in four reels (running time 2 hours) called "father, Son and Holy War". In this film the petitioner has tried to explore link between the indoctrinate mechanism of patriarchal order and communal aggression, and attempted to analyze relation between partiarchy, violence and suppression of women. The dcocumentry, traversing the paths of atrocities through meandering lanes of trouble torn india, brings out connection of violence, fundamentalism and masculinity and forcefully makes a point that victims and losers of all wars and violence, whether it be in the name of religion or patriotism, are women. The documentary at the same time highlights the sparkle of hope in women's march against oppression. The documentary is in two parts, Part I Agnipareeksha and part ii Hero-pharmacy. Part I has been given "u" certificate and part II "a" certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification.