Delhi High Court asks for two scenes to be reworked and a disclaimer added; orders the CBFC to ensure that film arrives on schedule
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 14, 2019)

“After 48 hours I have started to breathe again,” says Nikkhil Advani, minutes after exiting the Delhi High Court courtroom. His upcoming film, which is based on the Batla House encounter, was cleared after a hearing which lasted almost all of Tuesday. “For a while it was touch and go but our counsel, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, put up credible arguments and after reading the original judgement in its entirety, the judge agreed that the film is completely based on this judgement which is in the public domain,” added the producer-director.

The Batla House encounter took place on September 19, 2008, when a team of the Delhi Police Special Cell raided a flat in Batla House in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar following a tip-off that terrorists allegedly involved in the September 13 serial blasts in the national capital were holed up there. During the raid, a decorated police officer, Inspector M C Sharma, was killed.

An accused in the case, Aziz Khan aka Junaid, moved the High Court last Friday asking for a stay on the release, arguing that the film’s posters and trailers depict the petitioners as terrorists and guilty of the crimes they are accused of, and so would adversely affect his trial which is on in a lower court. Apart from Khan, Shahzad Ahmed, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the case and who has challenged the verdict in the High Court, was also a petitioner in the matter. He contended that the film shows a link between the serial bomb blasts and the encounter and would therefore, prejudicially affect the trial in both the cases.

The petition came up for hearing before Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who ordered a special screening of the film in the High Court on Monday. On Tuesday, he asked for a couple of scenes to be reworked. In one, John’s (Abraham, who plays DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav) character interrogates one of the students who insists that in the Holy Quran it is said that they should raise their voice against atrocities, after which they go on to discuss their differing ideologies. In the other scene, the boys were shown to be making explosives. “Even before he asked, I had voluntarily made some changes and toned down these scenes and when we volunteered this information, the judge was pleased, realising that we were not out to simply provoke but had taken pains to tell the story from three points of view: That of the Delhi cops, the students and the court’s judgement,” says Nikkhil.

Now, they must carry a three-minute disclaimer, in Hindi and English, stating that the film is a work of fiction. “However, the judge has ordered the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to not waste time on another screening after the changes are incorporated and treat this judgement to clear the film for screening. So, after a last-minute legal battle, Batla House will keep its Independence Day date with the theatres.
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Last-minute scare for John Abraham-starrer Batla House as team cancels a special screening, before HC rules in its favour
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 14, 2019)

The run-up to the Independence Day release of Batla House has not been smooth — only a fortnight ago, the two accused in the 2008 Batla House encounter moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the film's release. Yesterday, the makers of the John Abraham starrer found themselves in for a minor scare when the High Court did not pass its verdict until later in the evening. As a pre-emptive measure, the team cancelled the special screening that was scheduled for 3 pm, leading to speculation that the movie may not be able to keep its August 15 date with the audience.

Vinod Bhanushali of T-Series, the co-producer of the film, said, "We cancelled the press show in the afternoon after our lawyers advised us to do so. We were waiting for the court's verdict."

Fortunately, by evening, the Nikkhil Advani-directed venture received a clearance from the Delhi High Court. It is learnt that a special screening was held in the capital after which the court gave its verdict. Relieved and joyous in equal measure, the makers hurriedly rescheduled the preview for 8.30 pm. A press conference to clear the air regarding the film is on the cards today. "Everything is fine, we have faith in the judiciary. The film will release as scheduled," added Bhanushali.

The film is inspired by the 2008 encounter, in which Delhi Police Special Cell team raided a flat in Batla House in Jamia Nagar, Delhi, on a tip-off that suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists were hiding there. Earlier this month, two accused in the case — Ariz Khan and Shehzad Ahmad — moved court to stall the film's release, citing that the movie would prejudice the outcome of the trial.