Film production banners owned by top Bollywood stars filed a suit in court for ‘irresponsible reporting’… Read more

New Delhi: A civil suit has been filed in Delhi High Court by four Bollywood industry associations and 34 Bollywood producers. The legal action has been taken against Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, and Pradeep Bhandari (of Republic TV), Rahul Shivshankar, and Navika Kumar (of Times Now), and unknown defendants. Social media platforms have also been urged to refrain from making or publishing irresponsible, derogatory, and defamatory remarks against Bollywood. Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, Salman Khan Films, Aamir Khan Productions, Ajay Devgn Films, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment are among the studios that have filed the complaint.

[BREAKING] Suit has been filed before Delhi High Court by four Bollywood industry Assns & 34 leading Bollywood producers AGAINST

Republic TV
Arnab Goswami
Pradeep Bhandari
Times Now
Rahul Shivshankar
Navika Kumar @navikakumar @pradip103 @RShivshankar #ArnabGoswami pic.twitter.com/NXAP4w1Uvp

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) October 12, 2020

The petition filed in the Delhi HC stated that “derogatory comments” against Bollywood celebrities must not be allowed and a restrain should be imposed on conducting media trials on them or interfering with the right to privacy of actors and others associated with the film industry. The petition also stated that the “defendants abide by the provisions of the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, and to withdraw, recall and take down all the defamatory content published by them against Bollywood”. This action has come in the aftermath of the media’s sensational coverage of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. These news channels have been accused of using derogatory words for Bollywood such as “dirt, filth, scum, druggies.” Expressions such as “it is Bollywood where the dirt needs to be cleaned”, “all the perfumes of Arabia cannot take away the stench and the stink of this filth and scum of the underbelly of Bollywood” have also been condemned, as per a report by Bar & Bench.

Here’s the list:

1) The Film &Television Producers Guild of India (PGI)

2) The Cine & TV Artiste? Association (CINTAA)

3) Indian Film and TV Producers Council (IFTPC)

4) Screenwriters Association (SWA)

5) Aamir Khan Productions

6) Ad-Labs Films

7) Ajay Devgn Films

8) Andolan Films

9) Anil Kapoor Film and Communication Network

10) Arbaaz Khan Productions

11) Ashutosh Gowariker Productions

12) BSK Network and Entertainment

13) Cape of Good Films

14) Clean Slate Filmz

15) Dharma Productions

16) Emmay Entertainment & Motion Pictures

17) Excel Entertainment

18) Filmkraft Productions

19) Hope Production

20) Kabir Khan Films