Delhi High Court asks makers of 'Faraaz' to settle dispute with victims' mothers

On Tuesday, Delhi High Court asked the makers of the upcoming movie 'Faraaz', which isbased on the 2016 Dhaka terror attacks, to discuss and resolve their disputes with two victims' mothers, who recently moved an appeal challenging the film's release. The order was passed by a division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh.

Earlier, a single-judge benchdismissed the mothers' plea, asking themto file an appeal instead.

The division bench said that if the filmmakerhas decided to name the movie 'Faraaz', he should first assess and analyse what Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz stood forand resolve the issue.

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"If you are naming the movie 'Faraaz', then you should know what Ahmad Faraz stood for. If you wish to be sensitive about the sentiments of a mother, then talk to her," the judge stated.

Contending that the producers have been insensitive about the issue, senior advocate Akhil Sibal representing the mothers, said that the deceased's and their family members' privacy should be maintained as it is one of the main aspects.

The attorney argued, "They did not even come to the family. That's been their approach. The learned single judge holds that since the girls are deceased there can be no right to privacy as regards their lives. That cannot be the approach. The question is whether the parents will have the right to privacy in relation to the lives of their daughters."

In response, the bench stated that it would not injunct the movie's release because the details are already out in the public. The next hearing is scheduled for January 24.

"We can ask them to sit with you and work this out. We don’t know if the law permits us to injunct the release of the film. The court can always ask you to be sensitive. You can't profit from somebody's misery. It is the statement of how right-minded people should conduct themselves. Please sit together," the court told the counsel appearing for Mehta.

Meanwhile, Justice Mridul orally remarked, "People like sensational movies. People like movies based on true stories. What can you do?Not a single holocaust that man has ever experienced hasn't been put on celluloid. What do you do?"

(With inputs from agencies)

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