Don’t try Kabali, High Court warns ISP

The interim order to this effect was passed by Justice N Kirubukaran on a petition filed by the film’s producer Kalaipuli S Thanu.  The order, returnable by August 8 also prohibited the sites, particularly in the territorial jurisdiction of India from exhibiting, releasing, projecting, screening or in any manner providing platform for downloading Kabali which is slated for release on July 22. The judge also held that the ‘rogue websites’ are making undue profit at the cost of film producers and artistes and hence need to be curtailed.

The Madras High Court while granting an interim order in favour of makers of Kabali by restraining as many as 169 Internet Service Providers from indulging in online piracy and infringement of copyright, has pointed out that many social evils in recent crimes are, no doubt, the effect of recent films.

Justice N Kirubakaran, while granting an interim order in favour of the film producer S Thanu by directing the Centre to ensure that the Internet Service Providers adhered to the terms and conditions evolved to check video piracy, also pointed out that the cinema industry has got a reciprocal obligation to the society. He said that though there cannot be any second opinion that the cinema industry has done yeomen service in many ways by making movies highlighting human values and patriotism, the ground reality is that it has become a theory of the past. 

While television serials are bent upon destroying family values by portraying women as vamps; the movies, of late, portray mainly obscenity, violence, victory of evil over good and other negative themes, Justice Kirubakaran said. He also noted that youth are made to believe that they can win over an urban girl by constant stalking and when they fail in their attempt, they are unable to withstand the frustration and resort to committing crimes. The judge also observed that the cinema industry, especially, the leading actors, should think before accepting that will impact society, youth and fans. They should also avoid drinking and smoking in their movies so as to prevent their fans from following them, the judge added.