‘Welcome 2 Karachi’ in legal trouble

NGO files plea in Indian High Court to ban song that promotes alcoholism


News Desk May 21, 2015
Welcome 2 Karachi will hit the theatres on May 28. PHOTO: FILE

Claiming that a song of upcoming Bollywood movie Welcome 2 Karachi promotes liquor consumption and maligns a nursery rhyme, a plea was filed in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking ban on it, reported IANS.The PIL filed by NGO Citizens for Better India was mentioned before a division bench of Justice BD Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, which posted the matter for Wednesday. The NGO said that the lyrics of song Lalla Lalla Lori, Daaru Ki Katori are “highly objectionable”.

“The petitioner impugns one specific song from the film being propagated as Lalla lalla Lori, Daaru Ki Katori, as highly objectionable as it will have extremely negative effect on the society, especially on children and which promotes consumption of intoxicating drinks which are injurious to health and against the scheme of the constitution and specifically against the article 47 of the constitution of India amongst others,” said the PIL.

The plea, filed against the central government, the Censor Board, the Delhi government and producers of the films Pooja Entertainment and Films Ltd, also sought direction to ensure the removal of the song from the movie and to stop its immediate advertisements on TV channels. The plea also sought direction for a “policy regarding the film certification keeping special consideration to its effect on the children and especially when it pertains to maligning nursery rhymes like in the present case. That these kinds of surrogate songs are also liable to banned as the same works as surrogate advertisement for liquor in general which is completely banned as per the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Amendment Act”.

Arshad Warsi-Jackky Bhagnani starrer Welcome 2 Karachi will now hit theatres on May 28 instead of its original release on May 21.The political satire was earlier scheduled to release a day ahead of Aanand L Rai’s Tanu Weds Manu Returns. Directed by Ashish R Mohan, the film also stars American dancing sensation Lauren Gottlieb, besides two renowned Pakistani actors Ayub Khosa and Adnan Shah Tipu. Welcome 2 Karachi is produced by Jackky’s father Vashu Bhagnani.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd,  2015.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ