HYDERABAD: Making it clear that misuse of judicial time and resources would not be tolerated, Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya of the Telangana High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to stay on the December 5 release of the Telugu movie Pushpa 2: The Rule and imposed an unspecified amount as costs on the petitioner, Sararapu Srisailam of Nallagutta, Secunderabad.
The costs are to be directed to organisations supporting trafficked women and children.
The petitioner claimed that Pushpa: The Rise glorified the smuggling of red sandalwood, and feared that the sequel would promote a similar message thus harming societal values. However, Justice Bhattacharya rejected the plea, calling it speculative and lacking substantive evidence. “The petitioner relied solely on the teaser, which is insufficient to substantiate such apprehensions,” the judge remarked.
The court expressed concerns over the timing and intent of the petition, which was filed just three days before the film’s scheduled release. “This last-minute attempt raises doubts about the petitioner’s motives,” the judge noted.
Deputy Solicitor General Gadi Praveen Kumar defended the film’s release, stating that the censor board had already reviewed Pushpa 2: The Rule and approved it with five modifications in compliance with the Cinematography Act and related rules. “The petitioner has no locus standi in this matter and failed to establish any valid grounds for stalling the movie,” Kumar argued.
In her order, Justice Bhattacharya highlighted that halting the release would cause undue harm to the producers and directors of the film.
The court will announce the exact amount of costs to be paid by the petitioner shortly.